Harry Potter and the Final Push
by Sephiran Lehran
Summary: After yet another death pushes Harry over the edge he begins to explore the Dark Arts. With his Dark Lady, he quickly sets about making changes in the wizarding world. Dark but not evil Harry/Hermione. Rating for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I got the idea to write this story after having difficulty finding a Dark Harry/Hermione story that stayed somewhat true to the books. So with that in mind all the characters will be as close to canon as possible. I'm also tired of all the bashing, especially against Dumbledore and the Weasleys. So any bashing that I may have in this story is what I consider to the truth based on canon, for example Ron being a jealous idiot. I'm going to have several polls throughout the story for what you think should happen since it is, after all, for the readers. And a word of warning: the rating will go up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, yada yada yada. Let's get to the good stuff.**

**Born for This**

Harry Potter sat by the Hogwarts Lake, enjoying one of his sunny afternoons off. Now that he didn't have Quidditch practice any longer he seemed to be having more of these free afternoons. Beside him lay a girl with long bushy hair: his best friend, Hermione Granger. While he was happy that she was with him, he would've preferred the company of a certain Ginny Weasley; however she had to spend as much time as she possibly could studying for her rapidly approaching O.W.L.s.

Ever since he and Ginny had gotten together life seemed to be much better for him. Though his future still looked bleak he was able to stop thinking about it and finally be a teenager, able to act his own age instead of someone sixteen years older. Even his obsession with proving that Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater and the sniping comments sent his way by Severus Snape didn't affect him as much. It seemed the only thing that could ruin this for him was the fact that he had very limited time with his amazing girlfriend. He did have Hermione though and that helped. And at least she and Ron were talking again.

Throughout the year, with Ron acting like a complete jackass, Harry and Hermione had grown much closer. No longer did Harry think of Ron as his best friend, the one that he would always side with. Despite the fact that Ron was his first friend, Harry now thought of Hermione as his best friend, the one that he would always side with and stick up for, even against Ron, his other best friend. And over the year he had decided that there was no way he could keep blindly defending Ron, especially not after what he had done to Hermione.

Hermione knew about this change of course. Though Harry never actually told her, no words had to be spoken between the two of them for her to realize it. Truth be told she was fed up with the way Ron had acted towards her all year too. After further examination, Hermione realized that the feelings she thought she held for Ronald Weasley were merely jealousy: jealousy over the fact that Ron, Ron of all people, was in a relationship and that they seemed to be on the path to something themselves at one point in time. Looking back on it though she was glad things worked out as they had. She and Ron didn't have a lot in common, other than the constant bickering, and any relationship they had would've been in was doomed from the start, lack of common interests aside.

Still the fact that Ron had been in a relationship for most of the year bothered her. Out of the three of them he had been the one to have an actual childhood. He had been allowed to grow up at his own pace, which was probably one of the biggest reasons why he was still so immature. She reasoned that if anyone deserved to have exactly what they wanted then it should be Harry and, though she would never openly admit it, herself. Both of them had been through so much, much more than anyone their age should ever have to go through, and yet, through the whole thing, neither of them had put their own selfish desires above anyone else's.

If Hermione was completely honest with herself, and Harry, she would admit to having a crush on him since Slughorn's Christmas party. Well actually she had probably had those feelings before then but that was when she finally accepted them. She wanted more than anything to be with Harry, or to at least tell him how she felt, but he was happy with Ginny and she was happy for him; she didn't want anything to ruin his happiness. Besides what would he see in her, especially against Ginny? She was just a bossy, unattractive bookworm while Ginny was an outgoing, beautiful young woman. Hermione couldn't take that away from Harry, no matter what she may want.

The two of them stayed silent for a long while, just enjoying each other's company and each lost in their own thoughts, before the silence was finally broken. A group of scantily clad seventh years came out to the Lake, wearing the tiniest bikinis either of the two had ever seen, before jumping in. Hermione watched them scandalized while Harry looked past them, apparently still lost in thought. Finally he spoke to the girl lying beside him.

"'Mione," she inwardly smiled at his use of that name, "what the hell are we going to do about the Horcruxes? I know that Dumbledore's doing his best to find them but what if it's not enough? What if we have to help him? Or worse yet, what if Dumbledore dies before he finds them all and we have to finish it? We have a lot working against us here, other than Voldemort himself. And for that matter what about Ron and Ginny?" Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and rolled over on her side to look at him.

"For starters Harry there's not much we really can do about the Horcruxes. We have a pretty good idea of what they are and that's the only thing we can go by right now. As for Ron, you know that wherever you go he'll follow. And Ginny will probably want to come too." Harry's response to that was quick in coming.

"No. There is absolutely no way that I'm letting her come with me. It's already bad enough that I've got you and Ron involved in this. I can't let her follow me into that kind of danger."

Hermione gave him a hard look before asking, "And what if we were together? How would that play out? Would you turn me away too?" Harry was taken aback after she asked that. He didn't think of her like that. At least he didn't think he did. It only took him a minute to regain his composure though.

"Of course not. You've been with me since our first year here. I know your abilities and I don't have to worry about you in a fight. Besides you're the smartest witch of your age. I'd be stupid to have you sit out. The only thing I know about Ginny's abilities is what I saw last year at the Ministry and I don't think that I'd be lost without her with us. I honestly don't know if she'd be able to defend herself against what we'd be fighting; I know that you're more than capable of that. This is all hypothetical though right, you and me together I mean?" Hermione blushed furiously and turned her head away from him.

"Y-yes, of course," she told the ground. "We're, we're just friends." It almost killed her to say that and she needed a reprieve from talking to him. She rolled back onto her back and was asleep before long. Dreams of Harry doing things that were very inappropriate for a friend to do marred her sleep. It seemed that all too soon the object of her fantasies was waking her up so the two of them could go eat dinner.

They saw the two Weasleys already at the table so they went to join them. As soon as Harry sat down Ginny immediately began trying to shove her tongue down his throat. Hermione, seeing the murderous look on Ron's face, did her best to distract him.

"Looking forward to Quidditch next year Ron?" A quick grunt was her only reply, Ron's eyes never leaving the sight of his sister trying to suck out his best friend's esophagus. "Oh honestly Ronald they're only snogging! You act like they're shagging each other right here on the table in front of everyone." Hermione had a slight blush in her face after saying that but it had to be said.

"It's not them snogging that I mind, I just wish they wouldn't be so blatant about here in the Great Hall. People are trying to eat! And I don't like my little sister trying to suck out the tonsils of anyone, let alone my best friend." It was at that moment that Harry and Ginny broke for air.

"You'd best be careful, my _dear_ brother. I'll snog whoever I want, wherever I want. And I'm at perfect liberty to do so. And besides you know that Harry's too noble to do anything else, at least not right now."

"And Ron, just remember that she is quite accomplished with the Bat-Bogey Hex. I was recently on the receiving end of that myself and I will say that it's not a pleasant experience." Ron glowered at both of them but he said no more after that and made his looks much more subtle. Soon Ginny had to leave them to go back and study for her O.W.L.s for the rest of the night. Harry watched her go, the heaviness of his thoughts beginning to weigh him down again.

"You alright mate?"

"Yeah I'm ok Ron. Thanks. It's just that whenever I'm not with her I can't help but think about what's going to happen, what we're going to do to about all this, and what's going to happen if we fail. When she's here I can forget about all that, if only for a little while. I know she's your sister and all and that you hate seeing us do that stuff but I honestly can't help it mate."

Ron nodded and sat back, for once not eating as he thought about what Harry just said. He knew exactly what he was talking about: he himself had had that respite from worry when he was with Lavender, though even he admitted that the reasons they were together were all wrong. Now that he wasn't though it seemed that all he could think about was his future and how he played into whatever it was that Harry had planned. It was true that he could walk away from it all and Harry would think no less of him, he'd probably even be happy about not having to worry about him, but he knew that he hadn't been the best of friends in the past few years and this was his way of making it up.

Overall though the thought of what they were probably going to have to do, that is eventually take on Vol-, Vol-, Volde-, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, themselves was a frightening task. Ron knew that even Harry was terrified, which was saying a lot considering all that he had done over the years. If Harry was that afraid then Ron felt that he had a right to just as scared, if not even more so. The more he thought about everything the more he wanted out. He couldn't let Harry and Hermione know that though or he'd never hear the end of it. Besides he wanted You-Know-Who dead as much as anyone else did.

It came as no surprise to any of them that Ron was the last one to finish eating, despite being the first one there. When he finally finished the three of them headed back up to Gryffindor tower. Despite the end of the year fast approaching they were trying to learn as many new spells as they possibly could. Well admittedly Ron wasn't doing much studying but he was at least trying harder than he usually would at something like this. After an hour of searching through their books Hermione slammed hers on the table in frustration.

"We've read all these at least three times; there's nothing useful in here anymore! We've gone over the books from the library several times too. We still need more of an advantage." Harry looked at her in sympathy.

"I agree but what can we do? The only other books we haven't looked at are in the Restricted Section and I don't know how we're supposed to get in there. I don't think that there's any teacher who will give us a pass, even if we're using them for a good purpose." Hermione thought for a moment before an idea seemed to come to her.

"What about Slughorn? You're his golden boy Harry; he'll give you just about anything you ask him for. We can use that to our advantage here." Harry stared at her. He wasn't shocked that she had suggested that he go to Slughorn, but he was rather surprised that she admitted his status in their potions class.

"Yeah you're right, 'Mione. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

* * *

><p>That Saturday saw Ron and Hermione in the common room after lunch waiting for Harry's return. They had offered to go with him to see Slughorn but he refused, telling them that all of them going might seem suspicious and that he had a much better chance alone. That had been over an hour ago and they were both worried. It should have been a quick and simple task: get permission for the Restricted Section, get back to the common room. Apparently it wasn't that simple.<p>

The two of them knew that it wasn't because Harry couldn't find Slughorn; the map had shown that he was in his office when Harry left. They could only hope that the old man had found some reason to keep their friend down there for a while. Just when they were going to go look for him the portrait opened and Harry walked through. His hair was even messier than usual, if that was even possible, and he looked out of breath. Still he had a large smile on his face, too big for someone who had just gotten permission to go to the Restricted Section. As usual it was Hermione who put together the pieces first.

"You ran into Ginny, didn't you?" Harry nodded, the smile never leaving his face. "And did anything happen that we should, or probably shouldn't, know about?" Harry's smile suddenly faded as his mouth flew open and his face turned red. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard and apparently Hermione couldn't believe she had just said it: her face was even redder than Harry's. It seemed that Ron hadn't quite gotten the implication, though he was paying more attention to Hermione's red face than what she was saying.

"No 'Mione nothing like that happened, though it wasn't for lack of her trying," Harry told her when he finally found his voice. "It seems like she tries that every time we see each other now. It's actually getting kind of annoying."

"Hold on, did you try to get it on with my sister?" Ron had finally caught on, despite not paying attention to most of the conversation.

"It was more like she tried to get it on with me, mate. I guess she thinks that the sooner we do that the sooner we'll get married or something. Trust me, Ron: I have no intentions of doing that any time soon." Ron seemed satisfied with his friend's answer, at least for the moment, though he still looked very unhappy about the whole situation. Hermione decided that it was time for them to get back on track.

"Well, never mind that right now, did you get it? Can we visit the Restricted Section now whenever we want?" There was a gleam in her eyes that both Harry and Ron knew very well and they knew that once she got her hands on that pass it'd be damn near impossible to keep her out of the library. Nevertheless, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a note, signed by Professor Horace Slughorn, for the Restricted Section.

"He said to just tell Madam Pince that this note is good as often as we need it and that if she doesn't believe us to go ask him herself. He knows that we won't use it for anything bad and he understands our situation, even if he's terrified to admit it. I think he's still ashamed about that memory and he's doing whatever he can to make up for it. He partially blames himself for Voldemort's rise to power."

Hermione stared at Harry in wide wonder. Whether it was from what Harry had just told her or the fact that he had in his hand a pass to the Restricted Section, no one knew for sure. What was sure was that there was no way she was going to let this opportunity go to waste.

"So does this mean that we can study during the summer too?"

"NO!" both Harry and Ron yelled at the exact same time. As serious as they both were about defeating Voldemort they were not up to studying during the precious little time they had off. Hermione looked at them in disbelief. Clearly the thought of not using this "golden ticket" was an idea that she couldn't imagine.

"Fine, then don't study. But when neither of you are prepared don't expect me to help you." The two boys smiled at the empty threat they had just been given and followed their friend out of the common room to the library.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I know that many of you are probably upset with the HarryGinny thing but remember: it _ is_ a Harry/Hermione story. I promise you that he and Ginny won't be together long.**


	2. Chapter 2

******Author's Note: So after a few minor glitches I finally got this up. I was inspired to put this up sooner rather than later.**

**Disclaimer: Does anyone actually pay attention to this? I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make any money from this, etc., etc.**

**The Evil That Men Do**

Later that night, ten minutes before curfew, found the Golden Trio putting away their books and setting off back to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was proud of both of her boys. Though neither one of them really wanted to study anymore now that the school year was basically over, they had been more serious about it than she has expected. Harry had been especially motivated it seemed, but admittedly she didn't know why. Perhaps it was because it was almost the one year anniversary of Sirius' death and he was remembering that. Whatever the reason Hermione knew that Harry had studied more that night than he had for most the year and it made her happy that he was doing his best to prepare himself.

The three walked back to the tower, casually talking about nothing in particular, when suddenly Harry felt uncomfortable. Something was out of place, he just knew it. He had no idea what it was of course but he knew that something was amiss. As the three of them rounded a corner Harry heard it: a low, menacing voice that sounded too evil, for lack of a better term, to belong to any student.

The first thought that ran through Harry's mind was that the three of them were in terrible danger. He shoved the other two back around the corner and pressed them up against the wall. Before they could say anything to question his actions he put his finger to his lips and strained to listen. All he heard was muffled talking from what sounded like the same person. Without consciously thinking about it Harry waved his wand over his body and whispered the incantation for the Disillusionment Charm that he had just discovered. He was surprised to find that it actually worked quite well.

"You two stay here and stay quiet. I'll be back in a minute. I promise I won't do anything, I just need to find out what's going on." With that he left Hermione and Ron behind and went quickly and quietly down the hall. He didn't know what he was expecting but he definitely didn't expect what he actually did find.

Standing in the middle of the hallway were Lucius and Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and several other Death Eaters. How they got in the castle Harry had no idea but he did know that everyone was in grave danger. Whatever they could want was nothing good. As anyone in the wizarding world knew, wherever the Death Eaters went chaos was sure to follow.

Normally in a situation like this Harry would immediately do whatever he possibly could to stop his enemies from proceeding with his plans. Tonight was different. Maybe it was because he had Ginny now and he didn't want to stupidly risk his life, maybe he had grown up a lot since the Department of Mysteries, maybe he realized that he couldn't do much by himself anyway, or maybe he was just tired of playing the hero. Whatever the reason, Harry decided that night to stay hidden and silent and listen to their plan before he did anything. Lucius started talking and Harry realized that it had been his voice he had heard from the beginning.

"I know that you can't get into his office without the password, Thorfinn. That damn gargoyle's in the way. But the old fool has always been eager to help people, especially his students. That's where you come in Draco. Go to Severus and get him to go to Dumbledore. Make up whatever story you have to, I don't care what it is but it needs to be convincing. Once Severus gets him out of his office then we'll strike."

Before anything else could be done or said Harry was hurrying back to Hermione and Ron. He reversed the Disillusionment Charm he'd put on himself as he turned the corner. He was proud of their reaction: both of them pulled out their wands and pointed them at him before they realized who he was. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender and they lowered their wands.

"Relax, it's definitely me. They didn't have enough time to do anything to me and you'd have heard something if they did. Death Eaters are in the castle. They're planning on doing something to Dumbledore. They didn't specifically say that they're going to kill him but it's obvious that's what they're planning to do. They're going to manipulate Snape into getting him out in the open. We don't have a lot of time. Come on."

Harry headed for Gryffindor Tower as quickly as he could, the other two following right behind him. They were both confused but neither said anything. They all knew that time was of the essence. In just a few minutes the three teens made it past the common room into the boys' dormitory.

"Harry, what the bloody hell are we doing? Why did we come back here? We need to be out there doing something about this! We can't let them kill Professor Dumbledore! If we lose him then V-Voldemort will definitely win. We won't stand a chance without him."

"Calm down, Ron, I just need a couple things. Here." Harry gave Ron the Marauder's Map while he pulled out his Cloak of Invisibility. "Listen, if we go to any of the teachers and tell them that Death Eaters are in the castle to kill Dumbledore they won't believe us, so we need to show them proof. Go to McGonagall and use the map to show her that you aren't lying. I'm going to go wait outside Dumbledore's office and follow Snape up there and warn him.

"'Mione those coins from last year still work, right? See if you can get anyone from the D.A. to answer them. We're going to need all the help we can get, not to mention luck. Speaking of which," he looked around in his trunk a little more before pulling out a small bottle, "share this between you. It's the last of the Felix Felicis. I want you two to have this; you're going to need it more than me."

Before Ron or Hermione could say anything, Harry pushed past them and headed downstairs. They quickly recovered from their shock and followed him. He was almost at the portrait when they made it to the bottom of the stairs. Before he could leave, though, they all heard someone coming down the stairs. They saw a mane of red hair a second before Ginny entered the room.

"What's going on Harry? Where are you all going?" Harry hesitated; he didn't want to tell Ginny anything to get her involved in this. In the end though, he quickly explained to her what was going on in their school. When he finished Ginny had a hard look in her eyes, not unlike when she had kissed him after the Quidditch tournament. "I'm going to help too. And there's no sense in arguing with me, I'm going. You need all the help you can get and what makes me different from the other D.A. members?"

Harry didn't have time to refuse her offer. All he said was "Go with those two." Turning to Ron and Hermione he told them, "fill her in on everything. And share the potion with her too. I don't want anything happening to any of you." Before anyone could say anything else he had slipped on the cloak and vanished through the portrait hole.

* * *

><p>Severus Snape was heading for the statue standing guard over the headmaster's office. Draco Malfoy had just told him that there were Death Eaters in the castle, that he had just let them in, and that he didn't want to but he had no choice. Snape knew the boy was telling the truth; he had known long ago that young Malfoy wanted out but there was nothing he could do about it. That wasn't his concern now though. His main concern was what to do about this current event.<p>

He knew that they were only using him to lure Dumbledore out of his office and he was determined to live up to his role as a double agent. That didn't mean that he had to like this turn of events however. Given his way he knew that he wouldn't even go to Dumbledore and would force them all out of the castle. However, despite what everyone thought about him, he did have a heart and he didn't want anything to happen to any of the students or his fellow teachers. Therefore, he decided that his best course of action was to find out what Dumbledore wanted to do.

He quickly gave the password to the gargoyle statue and started up the stairs. He sensed someone follow him before the statue closed behind him but whoever it was was invisible. He tried to perform Legilimency on the unknown person but found that they were a skilled enough Occlumens to protect themselves from anything short of an actual attack. He paid little attention to it; a Death Eater wouldn't be so subtle and anyone else wouldn't be an enemy. Besides, at this point in time his focus was on the Death Eaters currently in the school, waiting to attack Albus Dumbledore.

Snape knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an actual reply. Dumbledore was still sitting at his desk despite the lateness of the hour. He showed no shock in seeing his potions master, only mild curiosity it seemed. Before he could say anything though, Snape spoke.

"Headmaster, there are Death Eaters in the school. Draco Malfoy let them in, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. We can't blame him for anything."

"Of course not, Severus. I assume that they're here to kill me then?"

"Yes. They're using me to lure you out so they can kill you. I don't think that anyone else knows, so we don't have to worry about that too much."

"Actually sir, we do know," Harry spoke up, taking off his cloak. Dumbledore was genuinely surprised at this and could not keep it from his face.

"Harry! I assume you followed Professor Snape up here?"

"Yes Professor. But right now we don't have time for that. Hermione, Ron, and I found them after we left the library. They're going to alert the other teachers and I'm here to warn you. You can't trust Snape, Professor. He's with them, he's one of them."

"You need to keep your mouth shut about things that do not concern you, Potter. You have no idea of the actual severity of the situation." Snape turned back to Dumbledore before asking, "Are we still going to go forward with our plan?"

"It's the only way Severus. This way things are done on my terms and it will end my suffering. Alas, I wish there was some other way, I truly do." Harry was looking between the two older men, confusion written across his face.

"Professor, what's going on? You seem much too calm about this entire thing."

"You need to mind your own business, Potter. This is between the Headmaster and me. It's of no concern of yours."

"No, Severus, I think Harry needs to be told the truth. If things go as planned then I won't be here after tonight and someone needs to be informed of everything, including your true allegiance." Before Dumbledore said anything else he produced a Patronus that went off to find Minerva McGonagall. "Now we'll have the time we need."

For the next quarter of an hour Dumbledore explained everything to Harry. He explained about the Horcruxes. He explained about Severus Snape, his actions, and his true allegiance. He left out why Snape actually was on their side, saying that only he himself had the right to divulge that information. He explained about the Hallows. He explained most everything that had happened over the years, to the best of his knowledge. Most importantly he explained the plan for the night and why he had to die. When he finished tears were in his eyes.

"I know that you may never forgive me for what I did Harry. I don't forgive myself honestly. All I ask is that you continue to do things as you have been. This war is going to get much more difficult and I need you to continue the fight. You're the only one who can end it." Harry seemed to be struggling with the realization of all this information. Finally he spoke.

"So you're telling me that part of Voldemort's soul is inside me and in order to destroy it I have to be killed? I basically need to willingly walk to my death at the hands of Voldemort?" Dumbledore quietly nodded, ashamed of what he was asking the sixteen-year-old boy. "I have to end this. I have to stop him and if that means destroying all of his Horcruxes, myself included, then I will." Dumbledore felt relieved hearing the young man's decision, one that few others would be willing to make. He told him the one thing that he had yet to reveal.

"Harry, my boy, I believe that if Voldemort himself kills you, you won't actually die. Not if you don't want to at least. With him using your blood to resurrect himself he essentially serves as an anchor for your soul. As long as he lives when you're killed, you should still live as well. I didn't tell you this before now because if you made the decision to let him kill you I wanted it to be for the right reason: to protect everyone. Now that I know I have nothing to worry about I have no problem telling you this."

"It's all about defeating him, Professor." Harry walked to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me I have some business to attend to with the Death Eaters." As he walked down the stairs, Snape joined him. As much as Harry still didn't like the man he at least respected him, now that he knew what he had gone through and the lengths he was willing to go to defeat Voldemort.

"Potter, I have to ask: why are you now a decent Occlumens?" Harry stopped and looked his Potions professor straight in the eye.

"Necessity, Professor. With Voldemort constantly trying to attack my mind, I had to learn Occlumency to get any peace. Of course it helps when the person teaching me is someone that I trust and actually explains things to me instead of throwing me in blind. Hermione may not be as good at Legilimency as you are, but she's still a wonderful teacher." Harry left Snape standing there speechless, continued his way down the stairs, and set off looking for his friends.

As quickly as he could Harry made his way to the seventh floor. He took one of his favorite short-cuts and was soon there. He didn't hear any sounds of fighting but that didn't mean anything. The castle was quite large and it was very possible that they were fighting in some other part of it. He was getting ready to go down the hallway to his left when he suddenly heard noise from his right, noises that shouldn't be heard in a normal duel. He rushed towards the sound of the fighting, throwing his cloak over himself as he went.

He arrived to find scorch marks on the wall, several destroyed suits of armor, and more people lying motionless on the ground than he cared to see. It seemed like things were moving in slow motion and his brain couldn't comprehend anything as he watched the battle. All he could think about was how things might have been different if he hadn't had his talk with Dumbledore. A spell aimed at Ginny that barely missed her brought Harry back to reality. He fired a Stunning Spell at the Death Eater and was pleased to see that it found its mark.

It was at that moment that he decided to actually join the battle and threw off his cloak, revealing himself. The effect was instantaneous: the Hogwarts fighters were both relieved and happy to see him while the Death Eaters actually seemed to be scared. It seemed that many of them finally realized that in front of them stood a boy, a _boy_, who had defeated or dueled their master to a standstill on several occasions and that it might not be in their best interest to fight him. Nevertheless they had a job to do and none of them were about to leave until it was finished, no matter what may happen. They all knew that death would be preferred to the punishment they'd receive if they returned to their master defeated. So, they had no choice but to wait for Snape to string the trap.

Things soon began going downhill for the Hogwarts Defenders. They were losing members, though none of them due to the Killing Curse, and the Death Eaters were becoming increasingly aggressive and dangerous. When Antonin Dolohov sent an all too familiar purple spell towards Hermione yet again Harry lost it. He sent a _Sectumsempra_ spell to Dolohov, who ducked out the way at the last second. The huge, blond Death Eater behind him wasn't so lucky and took the full force of the attack. He was lying on the ground with blood pouring out of him when Dumbledore made an entrance.

"It seems that you've taken to visiting people in the late hours of the night, Lucious. I know why you've come here. I've known it all year; it was quite obvious really. Here's your chance, right here."

"If you think we're going to try anything on your terms Dumbledore, you're sadly mistaken. _You're_ going to be doing things on _our_ terms." As Malfoy Sr. was talking Bellatrix was waiting on tether hooks. As soon as she heard the words "our terms" she blasted the ceiling, causing dust and smoke to fill the air. When it finally cleared Dumbledore, the two Malfoys, Bellatrix herself, and Antonin Dolohov were gone. The Death Eaters quickly put up a ward preventing anyone from following them. The fighting resumed and no one seemed to notice that Harry was gone too. No one except for a certain bushy haired bookworm, that is.

* * *

><p>Harry followed Dumbledore and the four Death Eaters through the halls to one of the towers, which one he didn't know. Of course none of them noticed him, with the possible exception of Dumbledore; he was, after all, hidden under his cloak. Despite the lopsided fighting conditions Dumbledore was more than holding his own, though that wasn't surprising. He wasn't known as the most powerful wizard alive for nothing.<p>

As they battled up the tower Harry noticed that Dumbledore seemed to getting more and more fatigued, and it was taking a toll on him. It seemed to finally catch him when they reached the top of the tower. Dumbledore stumbled backwards and Lucious Malfoy quickly Disarmed him. He had a confident look about his features as he looked expectantly at his son. Draco seemed to be afraid of what was coming next, what he knew was expected of him. From his spot in the corner Harry readied himself to act. He had to be careful though, since he didn't want to strike too soon and give himself away.

"Go on Draco. What are you waiting for? We finally have the chance to return to our rightful standing. You shouldn't be hesitating in a moment like this!" Before Malfoy Sr. could say anything else the door to the tower flew open and in strode Severus Snape. He surveyed the scene before him and seemed to be unaffected by the sight, though Harry was sure that it was an act, at least partially.

Snape then looked directly at Lucious Malfoy and asked him four simple words: "Why are you here?"

"To see my son fulfill the task given to him by our lord and to see my house's name rise back to its rightful glory. I won't let you take that away from us, Severus. You may now be the Dark Lord's favorite but that means nothing to me." It was then that they all heard a small voice.

"Severus, please." It sounded like Dumbledore was pleading with his Potions master. Snape looked down at the old Headmaster. Before he could do anything though, Lucious Malfoy shoved him out of the way.

"Avada Kedavra!" the blond Death Eater yelled, pointing his wand straight at Dumbledore's heart. The older man fell lifeless to the ground as the Death Eaters fled the tower. Harry couldn't believe what he just saw. Despite the earlier conversation he had had with Dumbledore about his death he never thought that anyone could actually kill Albus Dumbledore. The only thing that mattered now was that Lucious Malfoy was going to pay for his sins.

The teenage wizard silently blasted the fleeing Antonin Dolohov against the wall where he slid to the ground unmoving, leaving behind a slick trail of blood. Harry thought he might have cracked Dolohov's skull or worse (after all, he could see the indentation of the Death Eater's head against the wall) and he knew that the spell he had used was completely foreign to him, but he had no time to stop and contemplate either of these things. He flew down the stairs as fast as he could, narrowly avoiding falling more than once. When he finally reached the bottom he noticed a trail of long blond hair whip around the corner. Not stopping to think about how dangerous this may be, Harry gave chase to Lucious Malfoy.

He followed them to the scene of the previous battle, where the Hogwarts Defenders were still holding their own against the Death Eaters. Now it seemed that the Death Eaters were starting to get overwhelmed, as more of the Hogwarts students and staff were getting involved. With the reappearance of the Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, and now Severus Snape the others felt reassured. Hermione felt reassured when she saw Harry rejoin the battle as well. She had been really worried about him when he left but of course had no way to follow him due to the ward. Apparently it had been taken down when the four Death Eaters crossed through it though, since there was now no need for it. The fighting didn't last for much longer before Lucious announced that it was time to go.

As soon as he gave the word every standing Death Eater fled from their opposition. Most of the Hogwarts fighters followed directly behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, on the other hand, went the other way to one of their shortcuts. They made it to the first floor mere moments before the Death Eaters and were waiting for them when they made it down. Immediately the fighting began again, though this time the Death Eaters were much more desperate. Their goal now was simply survival, to leave Hogwarts with as many of them as possible. It was with this thought in mind that the Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, and several others broke away from the group and rushed outside.

Harry saw Lucious Malfoy running with Draco and he attempted to follow them. Before he could get too far, though, a spell from behind barely missed him. Without thinking about it he turned and blasted the Death Eater in question back using the same spell he had used earlier against Dolohov. With his way seemingly clear now he rushed after the elder Malfoy.

Unfortunately for Lucious, he wasn't too far outside the castle when the doors burst open and Harry Potter came out. He wasn't really sure what the boy wanted but he did know that he was much braver than he was smart. There was no way that he alone could fight against the number they had on their side and live to tell the tale. However, it seemed as though Potter had a specific agenda on his mind, for he looked around before actually doing anything. Then his eyes locked onto Lucious'.

"Malfoy!" he yelled, his voice drenched in anger and hate. Without another word he rushed towards the Death Eater, hell bent on making him pay for killing Albus Dumbledore, randomly firing off spells as he went. Most of them missed Malfoy and he blocked the others but it was a vicious onslaught nonetheless and he was taken aback by it. Before he could do anything to retaliate he felt his wand forcibly leaving his hand and barely heard a word escape Harry's lips: "Crucio." At first the Death Eater merely smirked at him, looking very much like his son: he knew that Potter didn't really have the ability to cast an Unforgivable. He soon found that he was wrong as he lay on the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.

When Draco heard his father's screams he doubled back, wanting nothing more than to punish Harry for what he was doing. The fact that Harry was using a Dark curse to torture his father, and therefore what else he may be capable of in this state, seemed to not register with the young Malfoy. He felt the same way Harry did when Lucious had killed Dumbledore. Before Draco could actually do anything though, Bellatrix pulled him with her and the two of them rushed beyond the gates of Hogwarts where they quickly disapparated. Harry was still torturing Malfoy when Hermione and Ron caught up to him. Hermione couldn't believe that Harry would do something like that.

"Harry!" she yelled, trying in vain to get his attention. It didn't work and Harry did little more than look up at her as he continued torturing Malfoy. The only reason that he finally released the spell was that Snape knocked him back with a spell of his own. Several other Death Eaters grabbed Malfoy and dragged him to the gates of the castle, with Snape supporting them, where they all promptly disapparated.

Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder as he let out a fearsome yell to the heavens. He turned into her arms, sobbing as she held him. "Harry, what happened? Where's Dumbledore?" She held him as he tried to get himself under control.

"Dead," he told her, when he could finally speak. "Lucious Malfoy killed him in one of the towers. Dolohov's up there too, I think." As shocked and upset as Hermione was, she could tell that Harry was much worse than she was and that right now he needed someone else to be strong for him. She kissed his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder, silent tears streaming down her face. Ron came up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders and the three friends stood that way for a while. After a while Harry noticed that Ginny wasn't there comforting them. "Where's Ginny?" he asked, dreading the worse.

"She's alright. She got knocked out in the Entrance Hall, but we're not sure by what. She should be revived pretty soon." Little did they know that Ginny had already been revived, having just been hit with a simple Stunning Spell, and had been watching the scene on the grounds. As odd as it was, she wasn't angry or upset at seeing Harry and Hermione in such an intimate position. Seeing this actually reinforced the decision she had made earlier that night.

After a few minutes, Ginny made her way to the trio. Hermione saw her coming and she moved out of the way, allowing Harry to be spun around into Ginny's waiting arms. By this time Harry had stopped crying and was soothed by Ginny's presence. For some reason Harry felt more comfortable and welcome in Hermione's arms than Ginny's, but he put the thought out of his mind for now. The two stood there holding each other until Professor McGonagall came to them.

"I know this will be difficult for you all to hear, but we just found Professor Dumbledore's body in the North Tower. We also found Antonin Dolohov with a severely cracked skull. He-" Before she could say anything else, Harry cut her off.

"We know Professor. I was up there when Lucious Malfoy killed Dumbledore. I'm the one who hit Dolohov with the spell, though I don't know what it was. It was a spell I've never used before and I didn't even think about it, I just used it. I wanted them to all suffer for what they'd done." McGonagall simply nodded at this, knowing exactly how Harry felt for she felt the same way herself.

"Professor, I think it's important for you to know too, that Snape is still on our side. I had a discussion about that with Dumbledore tonight and he assured me that Snape is indeed on our side and has a very good reason for being so, though he didn't tell me what it was. I do know that it's a much better reason than what I was told earlier, that he was simply sorry that my dad was killed. He hinted that Snape felt responsible for their deaths."

McGonagall frowned at hearing this information, apparently deep in thought. While she herself didn't trust Severus Snape, Dumbledore did and she trusted Dumbledore, so that closed the argument in her mind. Nevertheless she had been trying for years to find out exactly why Dumbledore trusted the man. All her attempts had been less than fruitful and yet he came just short of telling Harry, who was no older than sixteen, tonight. Even if he knew he was going to die tonight he still could have gotten the information to her. She knew that he trusted Harry no more than he did her, so that couldn't have been the reason. What did it all mean?

"I see," she said, finally coming out her trance. "Harry, I need you, and only you, to come with me please. There are matters I must discuss with you." Harry simply nodded, told the others that he'd see them later, and followed her in silence up to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle simply moved out the way for them, seemingly recognizing Professor McGonagall as the new Headmistress.

As she walked in she noticed a sealed envelope on the desk in Dumbledore's handwriting. She left it there for now, intending to read it later; besides, she had more important things on her mind right now. After gesturing for Harry to have a seat she sat down herself and asked him to tell her what had happened that night. Harry internally sighed before he launched into the events of that night. He told her everything, including his discussion with Dumbledore, culminating in the torturing of Lucious Malfoy. He quickly added that he never would have done it if the Death Eater hadn't have killed Dumbledore.

"That's alright, Harry, I probably would have done the same myself, if not something much worse. If I may ask though, what did you and Professor Dumbledore discuss?" Harry knew that she was going to ask that and he had his answer ready. He knew that she wouldn't be pleased but he couldn't betray any of Dumbledore's secrets to her, even if he was no longer here.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I can't tell you. Most of it had to do with why things happened the way they did over the years or the key to defeating Voldemort. That's all I can tell you though; he trusted me with this information, telling me to tell only Ron and Hermione, and I can't betray him, even if he's not here anymore. I suspect that he told you the most important things in that letter he left you." McGonagall was rightfully disappointed that Harry wouldn't tell her how to defeat Voldemort and impressed with his level of perception. Before she could say anything else though, the door opened and the other Heads of House walked in.

"The Minister will be here soon Minerva," Professor Sprout told her. "He's shocked and wants to know exactly what happened. I still can't believe that Albus is-" The words seemed to catch in her throat and she couldn't say them.

"What about the funeral arrangements?" Professor Flitwick asked her.

"Albus always wanted to be buried here. We'll have to get permission from the Board of Governors though, because that's not something that's usually allowed. It is fitting that he be buried here though." The others nodded their agreement.

"Professor, can I go before the Minister shows up?" Harry had no desire to be questioned by him as well. McGonagall nodded her consent and dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Harry rushed from her office to the Gryffindor Common room where he found Hermione and Ron waiting for him. Ron told him that Ginny had already gone to bed. "Good," Harry responded, "because I have something to tell you that only you can know."


	3. Chapter 3

******Author's Note: There's already a few reviews to respond to. Awesome.**

**redxcherrie: I know, I like Dumbledore too but he does die in the books and his death is the cause of many things that happens to Harry.**

**jdtdragonage: Trust me, he won't be. That ALWAYS pissed me off. But rest assured that this Harry won't be rolling over for anyone.**

**Red Phoenix Dragon: Good observation. Dumbledore's failure to act is basically what sets Harry down this path. And for the record, even if Dumbledore had killed most of the inner circle that night Voldemort would have carried on and replenished his ranks in the next month or so. And no, Draco wasn't with Snape in Dumbledore's office. The only three people that were there were the three mentioned. I have another plan for Draco Malfoy.**

**Disclaimer: Thought we already went over this. I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><strong>So Much for my Happy Ending<strong>

"So V-Voldemort actually split his soul into seven pieces all total, including you, and they keep him from dying?" Harry had just finished telling Hermione and Ron what Dumbledore had told him and Ron couldn't seem to believe it. "And Dumbledore wants us to do destroy them? And the only way to get rid of the Horcrux in you is to kill you? Even though he seems to think that you'll live through it-"

"Ronald!" Hermione quickly silenced him, seeing the distraught look on Harry's face. She knew that after everything that had happened that night, especially with Dumbledore's death, that Harry needed support, not someone who was blown away by this information. She knew that Harry had his doubts, after all it was a miracle that he had survived the first time and most people weren't in the habit of surviving the Killing Curse at all, and he didn't need someone else to bring that fact up. He had been through enough tonight as it was.

"We're here for you, Harry. We'll help you any way we can, despite _someone's_," at this point she glared at Ron, "inability to comprehend anything." Harry looked up at her, thankful for what she had just said. No matter what she had always stuck by him, even when he didn't expect her to. He couldn't put his thanks into words but she could see the look in his eyes. Ron, of course, was seemingly oblivious to all of this. He apparently calmed down and accepted everything though.

"So did he tell you what any of the other Horcruxes are mate?"

"Well not tonight. We had already discussed that actually, I just never had the chance to say anything. We're sure that three of them are something that once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and either Godric Gryffindor or Salazar Slytherin, probably Slytherin. We think that Voldemort's snake Nagini is probably one too. The diary that I destroyed second year was a Horcrux, and so was the ring that Dumbledore destroyed over the summer. So that leaves us with three unknown, two known, and two already destroyed."

"So how are we going to find these three then?"

"Well we think that it's possible that he used Ravenclaw's diadem, Hufflepuff's cup, and Slytherin's locket, so that gives us some leads to go on. I have no idea where to start looking but at least we have an idea of what we're looking for. Besides, those are all one-of-a-kind objects so it's possible that someone might know where they're at."

"How are we supposed to destroy these things?"

"He told me that it has to be damaged beyond magical repair. I know that Basilisk fangs work because I destroyed the diary with it and apparently the Killing Curse will work on me. Beyond that though, I have no idea. Anyway what we do know doesn't help us much, since we don't exactly have a collection of Basilisk fangs with us. Actually, now that I think about it, he did mention that anything Goblin-made will never rust and takes in that which makes it stronger. I feel like it has a connection to this but I have no idea what it is." Fortunately for them, Hermione had instantly picked up on what Dumbledore was trying to tell Harry.

"You used Gryffindor's sword to kill the Basilisk, right?" Harry nodded at her. "It's been around for over a thousand years and it hasn't rusted." Realization dawned on Harry's face as he understood what both her and Dumbledore were telling him. Ron it seemed had also picked up on it.

"So you're saying that Gryffindor's sword could be used to destroy them?" Hermione nodded. "Well that helps, but how are we going to get it? I don't think McGonagall will willingly hand it to us."

"Maybe we could just tell her that we need it in the fight against Voldemort. If it has anything to do with defeating him I'm sure she won't mind too much." The three of them sat in silence for a while, each contemplating their own thoughts. All of them were worried, there was no doubt about that. Yes, they did have an idea of what they were looking for, but they had absolutely no idea of where to start looking. It seemed that there was no way that they could continue to go to school while they searched for these Horcruxes.

"Harry, we won't be coming back here next year, will we?" Harry smiled at Hermione's question. Of course she would be worried about not being able to come back to Hogwarts, even if the reason was one of grave importance.

"We don't have any reason not to. If we knew where they were it'd be a different story. As it is now we'll have to travel around the country randomly looking for something out of the ordinary." Harry's response earned himself a bone-crushing hug from his best friend. "We need to figure out some way to find them though, so we'll probably have to leave the school at times; it's likely that we will miss some classes." Ron finally spoke for the first time since mentioning the sword.

"Harry, didn't you say that Snape really is on our side and that Dumbledore trusts him?" At Harry's agreement he continued. "Why can't we use his status as a double agent to help us? I know he can't exactly mention the Horcruxes to V-Voldemort but maybe he could find out some other way. If he knew that we were looking for something specific like that he could be actively listening for anything that might remotely sound like one of them." Harry momentarily looked stunned before telling his other best friend how brilliant that was.

Armed with this new plan, the three made more in depth details. Hermione brought to light that Voldemort might have given one of them to one of his followers, since he had given the diary to Lucious Malfoy. Harry pointed out several things that he knew were unlikely, such as several of the places that Voldemort may have hidden his Horcruxes. Ron on the other hand, was all about strategies: how to actually get the Horcruxes, what to do with them if safekeeping was necessary, how to prevent Voldemort from knowing, etc. It was almost one o'clock when the three of them finished. Ron announced that he was going to bed and disappeared up the stairs. Harry had no desire to go to sleep and sat on the floor in front of the couch; after a moment's hesitation, Hermione joined him, all the while chewing her bottom lip. Without looking at her, Harry began telling her what was on his mind.

"Everything's happening at once 'Mione. It feels like I'm drowning; I don't know what to do. I probably killed at least one person tonight and tortured Lucious Malfoy. I'm no better than Voldemort! After Dolohov almost hit you with that curse again, I lost it. I can't lose you, and I was going to make sure that they all knew that. Then, after Dumbledore was killed, all I could think about was causing them all as much pain as possible. I wanted them to feel what I felt.

"But the worst part about it is what happened with Ginny. Holding her after the battle didn't feel as right as when I was holding you. Hearing that Ginny had been knocked out didn't bother me as much as when you almost hit by Dolohov's curse. Not to mention that I didn't realize that she wasn't with us for a while." Hermione looked at him full of sympathy.

"Harry after all that happened tonight you needed comfort and it didn't matter who gave it to you. Besides your relationship with Ginny is still fairly new, while we've known each other for years. It's natural that you would seek comfort in me first." Saying this out loud caused a slight blush to appear on Hermione's cheeks. "After the two of you are together for a few months she'll be the one you immediately look to for comfort." She hated saying that, even as it came out of her mouth, but she needed to make Harry feel better.

Apparently it worked because Harry nodded his understanding and went quiet again. Hermione sat by his side for a while longer, the two of them staring into the fire, before she finally announced that she was going to bed as well. She bid Harry goodnight before venturing up the stairs, knowing that he would get very little, if any, sleep tonight and that there was nothing she could really do for him. She was rather upset with Ginny at the moment; she understood that Ginny had been through a lot that night too but none of them had been through more than Harry had and he needed someone there to help him through it. Besides, no matter what Ginny was going through it would be better if she went through it with her supposed boyfriend, that way they could help each other. It was a very angry Hermione Granger that climbed into bed that night.

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><p>On the other part of the castle, in the Headmaster's Office, Professor McGonagall had just finished reading Dumbledore's letter to her for what must have been the tenth time. It seemed that every time she read it something else seemed to click into place, while something else seemed to make no sense. She trusted Albus Dumbledore, even in death, and knew that he had only the good of the Wizarding world in mind. Yet the fact remained that he had kept many important things to himself over the years, none more important than the key to defeating Voldemort. While his letter didn't come right out and say what it was, she easily gathered that Voldemort had made Horcruxes; that was the only thing that made sense. What shocked her even more though, was that Dumbledore wanted three students, one of whom was still underage, to find and destroy these abominations.<p>

"Why, Albus?" she asked the portrait as she turned to face it. "Why take away what little childhood they have left? They should be enjoying what time they have as teenagers, not making plans to do something that the Order could easily do."

"You know as well as I that Harry wouldn't have it any other way, Minerva. He wants to end this, and for the right reasons I might add. Harry wants to stop Voldemort from killing anyone else and he wants to be the one to finally finish him. You can't blame him either, after all that Voldemort has taken from him. And of course Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley won't let him do this by himself."

"Why do you want him to be the next leader of the Order though? It was you who established that anyone in the Order had to be out of school before they could join. He's too young for that kind of responsibility."

"You and I both know that Harry has faced more than many in the Order, that mentally he's much older than he is physically. I don't think anyone currently in the Order is more powerful than he is right now, even if no one realizes it yet. As for inducting Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley as well, I think they both deserve it. They've both proven that they're more than capable as well, and Ms. Granger's power isn't far behind Harry, though she doesn't know it either. The fact is that those three are the ones that are going to win this war and stop Voldemort. Why should we deny them the help that we can give them if they're part of the Order?"

Those last words stunned McGonagall into silence. She knew that what she had just been told was sound logic, and very true even though she hated to admit it, but she still didn't think it was right. Even if those three were going to play such an important role what was the point of throwing them in like this? Yes they were already in the thick of the fighting but keeping them at an arm's length helped protect them, didn't it? The more she thought about it the more she realized that it actually put them more at risk to be so ignorant of the situation. Voldemort was going to come after Harry, no matter what the young wizard happened to know or to not know. All that mattered was that Voldemort wanted Harry Potter dead.

It suddenly dawned on McGonagall that she had taken a motherly role in the three students' lives. Since when had that happened? Yes, she cared about them and would willingly protect them, but she was that way towards all the Hogwarts students. Maybe after all this time, she had finally allowed herself to accept the circumstances that these three young adults had been thrust into and was finally allowing herself to be what she had wanted to be all along. In all honesty it didn't really matter. What did matter was that she understood what Dumbledore was telling her and that she agreed with him: Harry Potter should be the leader of the Order of the Phoenix and Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley should both be part of the Order as well.

"What about the others, Albus? I don't think many people will go along with this, especially Potter becoming the new leader. I know that Molly definitely won't allow it; she sees both Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger as her own children."

"Alastor, Kingsley, Remus, Nymphadora, and Arthur already know that I want Harry to be the next leader and Sirius knew before he was killed. They all agree that he does have definite potential and that he'll make a good leader, once he's been trained some. They also agree that Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley would be welcome additions. I know that Molly will have difficulty accepting this but she'll have to. They have more of a right to be part of the Order than anyone else, since Voldemort will stop at nothing to kill Harry and by extension Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley." McGonagall nodded her understanding and sat back to digest everything that had happened that night. Though she still didn't like what she had just been told, she admitted that Dumbledore was right. She could only hope that this actually did help the three, instead of making them even bigger targets.

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><p>The next couple of weeks passed quickly for Harry. As was expected, all classes and exams were cancelled in honor of the greatest wizard of the century. Even though he was spending a lot of time with his friends, especially Ginny, it still didn't seem right to him. He had always envisioned them all relaxing at the end of the school year with everything behind them and nothing more than usual weighing over their heads, able to escape the stress they were under if only for a little while. As it was now even the time he spent with them was stressful for him. He just couldn't get over the fact that Dumbledore had been killed.<p>

Of course it didn't help anything that he had tortured someone and killed two others. He had been told that Thorfinn Rowle, the huge blond Death Eater that had been hit with the _Sectumsempra_ curse, had died due to blood loss and that Dolohov had died instantly after being thrown into the wall with a massively depressed skull. This news wasn't surprising to him, as Snape had only healed Malfoy with the _Vulnera Sanentur_ spell and the wall had a large depression in it where Dolohov hit it. What did surprise Harry was that he wasn't bothered too much by any of this. In fact he felt that Lucious Malfoy had deserved to be tortured and so much more, that Dolohov had tried to kill Hermione earlier and probably would again, and that Thorfinn Rowle probably killed in the past and probably would again in the future. At least those two wouldn't be able to kill anyone ever again now.

What bothered Harry more than anything was the fact that his friends, Ginny included, seemed to be acting differently towards him after everything that had happened. Ron had a primal look whenever he was with him now; he looked similar to the way Harry felt when he was torturing Lucious Malfoy. It actually made him think almost of the relationship between Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Hermione seemed to be holding back whenever she was with him, like she wanted to do or say something but couldn't bring herself to; he was sure that she was holding back until she had the chance to get onto him about using an Unforgivable Curse, even against a Death Eater. Ginny was the worst one of them all though: whenever she was with Harry it always seemed like she was forcing herself to be there, like she didn't want to even be around him anymore.

Try as he might Harry just couldn't get over the appeal of a so-called "normal" life. What was normal though? To him it was having his parents, having an actual family that loved him, having a true and meaningful relationship, to have friends that didn't shy away from him, and above all not having the most feared Dark Wizard in history constantly trying to kill him. While four of those five things were indeed possible, things weren't off to an auspicious start. He had what he thought was a meaningful relationship with Ginny but apparently, judging from her current behavior, she didn't feel the same way. He was admittedly in the process of getting Voldemort to leave him alone but things were definitely not going good. Having a loving and caring family seemed to be out of reach for him until he was older and knew that he would be able to one day have said family.

As far as his friends shying away from him, that was something that he was going through at that moment. The fact that he was currently lying alone in his bed staring at the ceiling was all the proof anyone would need. He would rather be by himself than be treated so differently just because of the way he handled things. There were members of the Order who had done much worse than he had, yet no one thought any differently of them; why was he so different? The only thing he could think of was his status as "The Boy Who Lived," and now as "The Chosen One" it seemed, but he thought that that had never mattered to any of his friends.

As he continued to lie there he heard the door open and someone walk in. Thinking nothing of it he continued to stare ahead of him, directly at the ceiling above him. He was sure that Ron had come up again to stare at him hungrily before rolling over and taking a nap, as he was accustomed to doing lately. Therefore, it surprised him to hear a voice that was very familiar, yet one that not been given enough credit, by Harry himself or anyone.

"Are you alright, Harry? I know things must be difficult for you, with everything's that's happened lately."

"I'm fine Neville. Thanks for asking mate."

"Well it can't help that everyone looks at you differently now. Hermione, Ron, even Ginny, everyone seems to be keeping their distance from you."

"So why aren't you?"

"I know what it's like to want revenge like that. You haven't forgotten last year in the Department of Mysteries, have you? If I was in your position I probably would have done the same thing. I understand and everyone else will too, you just need to give it time. You being in the spotlight doesn't help anything either of course. Anyway, Dumbledore's funeral is in a couple of hours. You should probably start getting ready."

Harry nodded his agreement and slowly got out of bed to start making himself presentable. As he passed Neville he put his hand on his arm as a show of thanks and received a pat on the back. Neville was behind him at least, and that was better than being all by himself. As he got ready, Harry could only wonder how long it would be before everyone else, at least those he cared about, would come around.

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><p>When Harry came downstairs an hour and a half later he saw Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sitting in the chairs by the fire. They were all talking softly and got quiet when they noticed him. Ginny got up and went over to him, meeting him halfway. She pulled him into a passionate kiss, during which time Ron suddenly found the window very interesting.<p>

For his part, Harry was very surprised by this sudden display of affection. Since that night Ginny had been acting like she wanted nothing to do with him, yet now here she was kissing him like her life depended on it. Part of him wanted to know what this was all about and part of him couldn't care less. The two thoughts seemed to be waging a war with each other.

When she finally broke the kiss the side of him that wanted to know won. Before he could say anything though, as if reading his mind, Ginny put her finger to his lips to keep him quiet. Though she didn't say anything, Harry could see in her eyes that she would explain everything to him later. He nodded his understanding, took her hand in his, and led her over to the seat she had just vacated. The four of them talked about nothing important for a few minutes before heading to the funeral to find seats in the back.

The funeral itself was nice enough. Everyone from Hogsmeade and the Order of the Phoenix was there, as well as many others from magical Britain. Even the Centaurs and the Merpeople were there to show their respects to the greatest wizard in centuries. Tears flowed freely from everyone and people unashamedly comforted each other. At the end of the ceremony white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body and encased him in a marble tome, a fitting resting spot for the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts ever had.

Before the ceremony began, Harry had noticed the Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, and several other Ministry officials arrive. While he had no doubt that they were indeed there to pay their respects, he was sure that they had some other reason for being there. After the ceremony was ended his suspicions proved to be correct: he spotted Scrimgeour making his way over to him. Ginny noticed this as well and was quick to wrap an arm around Harry to calm him down.

"Mr. Potter, first I would like to offer my condolences. I know that this must be a very difficult time for you. If there's anything we at the Ministry can do for you right now just let us know. We'd be glad to help you in any way possible, for a price of course." Harry didn't need to question what that price was; he still hadn't forgotten what the Minister had said to him at Christmas.

"No thank you, Minister. I have my friends to lean on if I need anything." At this point Hermione came to Harry's other side to offer her support. Ron seemed to be content to stay in the back, an expectant look on his face.

"Then I suppose you still won't consider working with us or telling us what Dumbledore was up to?" The glare Harry sent his way and the two witches on either side of him holding him back was all the answer the Minister needed. "I'm sorry you feel that way. You indeed are Dumbledore's man through and through."

"Yeah, I am. Glad we've finally got that settled." With that, Harry turned around and headed back to the castle, Ginny's hand in his. Hermione was beside them and Ron brought up the rear looking slightly disappointed, as though he were hoping for Scrimgeour to suffer a worse fate. Scrimgeour watched the quartet go and with a shake of his head returned to his fellow Ministry employees.

When the four made it back to the Gryffindor common room Hermione immediately went on a tirade about Scrimgeour and the Ministry. The other three were surprised: they had never heard Hermione use the language she was using now. It was a while before she finally stopped her ranting to look at them. Ginny and Ron were both staring at her wide-eyed, not believing that she of all people would say that about a system of authority, while Harry was looking at her with compassion and understanding. It was this that calmed her down more than anything; she gave Harry a wry smile before perching herself on the arm of his chair. For the rest of the day the four of them talked and enjoyed each other's company, as if the past few weeks hadn't happened. They all knew that very soon this peace would be shattered.

Later that night, as Harry lay in bed contemplating his thoughts, he heard the door open. Knowing that it couldn't be any of his dorm mates, since they were all snoring less than ten feet away from him, he immediately grabbed his wand and pointed it at the intruder. He was relieved to find that it was Ginny, who had the good presence of mind to hold her hands up in a gesture of surrender. When he knew he wasn't in any more danger, Harry flopped back down on his bed and waited for her to come to him. Instead of actually getting into bed, as he originally thought (and hoped), Ginny sat on the edge and spoke two simple sentences to him.

"Come downstairs. We need to talk." Harry watched her as she left, a slight frown on his face. What was so important that she needed to talk to him about at this time? Nevertheless he put on his glasses, wrapped his robe around his pajamas, and made his way down to the common room, sitting in the chair opposite Ginny's. She looked nervous and didn't seem to want to say anything now that he was actually in front of her. Before Harry could call her on this, though, she started to speak her mind.

"Harry I don't really know how to say this so I'll just come right out with it: I don't think we should see each other anymore. Neither of us are really happy and I think we just stayed together because it was easier with everything that's happened. When we first got together I thought that's what I really wanted but now I think I enjoyed the chase more than actually being with you. I feel confident that you have feelings for Hermione and I know that she does for you, even if she's not willing to admit it; my idiot brother helped her realize that. I don't want to hurt you but I think this is best for both of us." Harry sat looking at the fire for several minutes before he finally answered her.

"I think you're right Ginny. You've been distant from me since…that night, and if you were truly happy you would've been there for me. And I think you're right about Hermione too; I realized it that night. I felt more comfortable with her holding me than you, no offense. I didn't want to say anything at the time because it was hard to forego my best source of comfort. I do agree with you though: we need to end this now before both of us become completely miserable over it. I don't want to be the reason you're unhappy anymore than you want to be the reason I'm unhappy."

"So we're both in agreement: this is the end of our relationship?" Harry nodded. "And we're still friends?" Smiling Harry pulled her into a hug reminiscent of the way an older brother would hug his younger sister in reassurance.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked her, as they pulled away. Slightly giggling, Ginny nodded. Harry looked strangely at her before uttering, "Wow."

"What?" Ginny asked, confusion written all over her face.

"Nothing. It's just that, normally I'd want to kiss you right now, but I don't anymore. It's just weird knowing that, just like that, I don't have any romantic feelings for you anymore." Ginny nodded her understanding, feeling the same way herself. The two of them sat there talking for a few more minutes before Ginny got up and headed back to her room.

"Night, Harry."

"Good night Ginny." Ginny smiled at him again and disappeared up the stairs and Harry went up to his own room without a backwards glance. While it had seemed very forward, he knew that Ginny had been right and over the course of the last few weeks his feelings for her had changed. He wasn't necessarily happy about this play of events but he was definitely not upset about it either. It was a content Harry Potter that climbed back into his bed and was asleep in a few short minutes.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: RIP Harry and Ginny. The end of an era. I know the breakup may have been a little too neat and clean but I've been through something similar myself, so it does happen. And it's time for the first poll. Should Ron live and stay part of the Trio, should he be lower on the totem pole (think along the lines of Dean and Seamus), or should he be killed? Voting will be open for three or four chapters, depending on how many votes I actually get.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

******Author's Note: So it seems that this story has finally caught up to me. When I started it I had a lot of inspiration and I already had the first three chapters written. Now I'm stuck on the next chapter. Nevertheless I do plan to have regular updates sometime during the middle of the week. As of right now I promise that I'll update every other week at the least, hopefully once a week.**

**Red Phoenix Dragon: For future reference assume that everything before the start of this story is the same as what happened in the book unless stated otherwise. So that's the reason that Dumbledore hasn't done anything else.**

**Romantic Silence: I can see where you'd say that the dialogue is kind of mechanical but bear in mind that right now Harry's just going through the motions. He's got all this stuff going on, Dumbledore's death, the problems with Ginny and his other friends, the fact that he killed two people, etc., that he's kind of robotic right now. ****As he comes to terms with things he'll become more dynamic.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Ozzy.**

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><p><strong>Life Won't Wait<strong>

The next morning, as Harry was packing up for the train ride back to the hellhole that was the Dursleys', an owl flew in through the window. It dropped the letter it was carrying on Harry's bed and flew off without waiting for an answer. Slightly surprised at this random owl dropping a letter onto his bed, Harry picked it up and looked at it. It had the official Ministry of Magic seal on it. Harry groaned, not wanting to put up with them anymore, but opened the letter anyway.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We at the Ministry of Magic are very upset to hear that you don't want to cooperate with us against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named but we are not going to force you. We only want to do what we can to finally eliminate the threat that he presents to us. We know that you will be instrumental in finally ridding the world of him and we do want to help however possible. As everyone knows, You-Know-Who will stop at nothing to kill you. The fact that you are a minor means nothing to him. With this in mind we would like to inform you that, as of today, you are legally allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts. We know that you will be 17 in a month and a half but during that time You-Know-Who would have plenty opportunities to accomplish his goal. We want you to know that this is not a bribe, it's to make sure that you're safe._

_Sincerely yours,  
>Mafalda Hopkirk<em>

_Improper Use of Magic Office  
><em>_Ministry of Magic _

Harry looked out the window after he finished reading, not daring to believe his eyes. He had to read the letter several more times before it finally began to sink in that he could use magic whenever he wanted to now. With a shout of glee, he set about getting his trunk packed even quicker. Now that he could do magic whenever he wanted it might not be so bad at the Dursleys'. Of course Harry wasn't counting on that to make everything better but he reasoned that it definitely couldn't make it any worse. In record time his trunk was packed and he was taking it downstairs to put on the train.

Surprisingly Harry was one of the first people down to the train. Feeling rather pleased with himself he went to find a compartment, since he did have his pick of almost the entire train. Knowing that people would probably want to talk to him and offer their condolences, he immediately headed towards the compartments in the back. As he looked through the compartments, he saw the one person who he almost expected to see: none other than Hermione, lost in a book. He smiled to himself, knowing that she, of all people, was likely to be ready before everyone else. He knocked on the door and let himself in when she looked up and smiled at him.

"So what are you so happy about?" she asked him as she put aside her book. In response Harry simply handed her the letter he had just been given. She read through it a few times before launching herself at him. "I'm so happy for you Harry," she said, as she gave him one of her patented bone-crushing hugs. As she pulled away from him though, a frown marred her face. "Why didn't they do something like this earlier though? You've been in danger before now and they're just now allowing you to use magic whenever you want?"

"Yeah, well don't forget that until last year everyone thought that Voldemort was gone and even after he returned the Ministry liked to pretend that everything was fine," Harry told her darkly. "Why would they want the public to think that their 'hero' was in anymore danger than normal?" Hearing the venom in his voice, Hermione looked at him, kissed his cheek, and hugged him again, much gentler and more sympathetic this time. For his part, Harry appreciated the gesture but his mind was on the way the Ministry had treated him the past couple of years. Despite her attempt at cheering him up, Hermione could sense that Harry was very angry with the Ministry and decided to change the subject.

"So you and Ginny seemed to be doing better yesterday." At this, Harry slightly grinned.

"Actually we broke up last night." Confused as to why Harry would smile about this, but thankful that he seemingly wasn't thinking about the Ministry of Magic anymore, Hermione opened her mouth before Harry cut her off. "We both realized that we just didn't work as a couple. We weren't happy. Neither of us are upset about it and we're still friends, so it worked out for the best."

This apparently stunned Hermione into silence and she had butterflies in her stomach now that Harry was single. She knew it was wrong but she couldn't help but think that now she had her chance with him. Harry was quiet too but his silence was for a different reason. He was currently trying to decide what else to tell the girl who was currently wrapped around his shoulders. He didn't see any harm in telling her that Ginny was more interested in the chase but telling her that Ginny had apparently decided that Harry should be with Hermione was very risky.

"There are a couple of other things too," he began, finally making up his mind. "Ginny said that she was happier when she was trying to date me. She just wanted what she didn't think she could have. And-" Before Harry could say anything else, the compartment door was flung open and in popped Ron, unaware of the possible moment that he had just broken up. Hermione yelped and jumped off Harry, who sat calmly where he was. Seeing Ron having trouble with his trunk, Harry pulled out his wand and silently set it in the overhead compartment. "Honestly, Ron, you do remember that you're a wizard right?"

Ron's ears turned slightly red and he gave Harry a rather rude hand gesture before sitting down in the opposite seat, the other two laughing. Soon Ron was laughing too, unable to resist the infectious sound, and tears were rolling down all their faces. As they all calmed down Hermione seemed to remember that Harry was going to tell her something before Ron interrupted him. She tried to ask him what he was going to say but Harry knew what she wanted and silenced her before she could even ask. He lightly squeezed her hand in reassurance and she somehow knew that he would eventually tell her. Of course Ron, who had his head stuck in a Quidditch magazine, was oblivious to all of this.

As the morning wore on the train started filling with more students. Soon the Trio had been joined by Ginny, Neville, and Luna, who had all been at the battle the night Dumbledore was killed. Harry couldn't help but feel a surge of affection towards all three of them, even his ex-girlfriend. Seeing him looking at her, Ginny smiled warmly at Harry before talking to Ron about his magazine, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Neville and Luna. Putting it aside for a later date, they started talking to Harry and Hermione about the school year and other unimportant topics, such as Mr. Lovegood's continuous search for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

None of them really paid any attention to when the train began to move. The ride itself was virtually uneventful, except for a few interesting games of Exploding Snap, and they were all surprised when they were back in London. Harry spotted Crabbe and Goyle as the six friends were getting their luggage off. It seemed to him that without Draco Malfoy both boys looked less intimidating and more than a little lost. Pushing the thought out of his mind Harry joined everyone else on the platform.

He found himself being greeted by several members of the Order yet again as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the twins. He found himself pulled into a hug first by Mrs. Weasley and then uncharacteristically by Tonks. He shook hands with all the men except for Moody, which didn't surprise him, and then turned back to his friends. Ginny and Luna both hugged him and he clapped both Neville and Ron on the back. Hermione was apparently content to just be as close to him as she was (her entire left side was plastered against his right).

Over Moody's shoulder Harry noticed the Dursleys waiting for him, but before he could go the Order had made their way to them, no doubt to give them another "reminder." Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville all told him that they'd talk to him soon and went their separate ways. As the crowd thinned, Hermione saw her parents waiting for her at the entrance to the barrier, looking both expectant and impatient. She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before deciding that they could wait for another minute while she had a moment with Harry to herself. She turned to him and asked what he was going to tell her on the train; his response was a mischievous grin and a promise to tell her "when the time was right." Not liking information withheld from her Hermione slightly pouted as Harry pulled her into a hug, promising to write to her soon.

They both made their way to the barrier where Hermione's parents and the Dursleys were all waiting. Technically, the Dursleys weren't waiting on Harry; they were still being reminded by the Order of the consequences they could expect for not treating Harry right. Smiling, Harry took the time to meet Hermione's parents before they all disappeared through the barrier and he finally made his way over to his "family." As he walked he pulled out his Ministry of Magic letter again.

"Don't think I don't appreciate you lot doing this but Vernon Dursley will never listen to simple threats from us 'freaks.' This might interest you though, _Uncle_." Harry shoved the letter in Vernon's face, who quickly read it. His eyes grew wide as he finished the letter and let it fall to the ground; Harry picked it back up, aware that he didn't really need it but wanting it as a souvenir from the time when he scared the hell out of his uncle. With that Harry told everyone else good bye and led the way to the Dursleys' car. This summer was going to be very interesting.

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><p>Hermione looked back at Harry as she got in the car with her parents. Neither Dan nor Emma missed the longing on her face. It wasn't the longing of someone coveting something or someone but of someone who couldn't bear to leave someone else. It was just shy of the look someone has when they're truly in love with said person and it worried the elder Grangers. They were already losing their daughter to a world they knew nothing about and they didn't want to lose her to a boy before she was even eighteen. Not that they had anything against this boy, after all Hermione talked constantly about Harry Potter and from what they had just seen of him he was a fine young man; that still didn't stop it from worrying them. Aside from that they both believed that Hermione was too young to feel this way and they were worried she'd get hurt. Emma decided to try to get to the bottom of this and immediately started questioning Hermione when they started driving.<p>

"Hermione, dear, what's going on between you and Harry? You two seemed very close but something was missing." Hermione hesitated, thinking about what she wanted to say. She wanted to tell someone about what she was feeling, but it didn't seem like such a good idea to tell her parents first. In the end the need to tell someone outweighed the fact that she would feel weird talking to her parents about it.

"Honestly, right now there's nothing between us; we're just friends. He and his girlfriend broke up yesterday and, even though they're both alright with it, he's not ready to be in another relationship right now. As far as how I feel about him…I want to love him, I really do, but I just can't until I know there's a good chance he could feel the same way about me. I don't want to get hurt.

"He hasn't told me anything about how he feels but I can tell that there's something there. Don't ask me how but I feel this connection to him, like I can sense his feelings and thoughts. We can literally communicate without saying a word to each other. I feel safe around him and lately, whenever he's not there, I feel like a part of me is missing." Dan and Emma looked at each other, knowing how serious this was. They didn't know anything about magic, but even they knew that there was something special between their daughter and Harry; though neither of them liked this turn of events they both realized, however begrudgingly, the depth of emotions their daughter was feeling. There was one particular thing that was really bothering Dan at the moment however.

"Why did all those people show up to see Harry? They went to talk to his relatives too. Are they friends of theirs?" Hermione snorted at this, promising herself that the Dursleys were going to one day pay for what they did.

"No Dad, they were there to give them a warning. Harry isn't treated well at home. Actually that's putting it mildly. He's treated like a slave and they punish him for practically no reason. I don't think they've ever beaten him but he's been locked in his room numerous times and denied food too many times to count. They never buy him any clothes; he just gets the ones his cousin has either outgrown or doesn't want anymore.

"They treat their own son like a king who can do no wrong. Harry told me how Dudley always picked on him and beat him up when they were little and his aunt and uncle didn't do anything to stop it." At this point Hermione's voice started to get louder and strange things were happening outside the car. "As far as Vernon and Petunia Dursley are concerned, Harry's nothing but a freak that doesn't belong with 'normal' people like them. I think if they could they'd leave him somewhere on his own or worse yet, let him starve to death."

Dan and Emma were shocked at all this. They didn't understand how anyone could treat a child like that, even if he was almost seventeen by now. Worse still was the fact that no one seemed to actually do anything about it. Those people may have threatened the Dursleys but that would only work for so long. Both adults were worried for the boy's safety. It didn't help anything that their daughter was so angry that she was destroying street lights and causing things to fly around, from the trash bins on the side of the road to cars.

"Hermione calm down! You'll kill someone if you keep doing this! I know you're angry but this won't help anything." Hearing this caused Hermione to start calming down and Emma decided that it was safe to start talking again. "Will Harry be alright going back there? They might have only encouraged the abuse by threatening them like that."

"…honestly, I think Harry will be able to take care of himself this time. He's been given permission by our Ministry to do magic whenever he wants now. Granted, at the end of July he could do magic whenever he wanted to anyway, since the Trace will be removed when he's seventeen, but this will help him between now and then. He should be alright now but that doesn't change what they did." Her mother nodded at this, knowing all too well the way Hermione must be feeling.

"I know sweetheart, but you can't change that. At least he should be safe now. Do the people that were threatening his relatives know about this?"

"If he didn't show them the letter then they don't. I was the only one he showed it to on the train and it didn't look like he showed any of them. I don't think he wants a lot of people to know about it, since it might get back to Voldemort and he might use it to his advantage." Hermione's parents both slightly paled at this. They knew who Voldemort was and they knew that he wanted Harry dead so it wasn't difficult to figure out what Hermione meant by "using it to his advantage."

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><p>On the other side of England, Lord Voldemort was furious. He had ordered his Death Eaters to attack the Platform 9 and ¾ and bring Harry Potter to them. Upon their arrival though, they had found it crawling with members of the Order of the Phoenix, including some of their most powerful members. It would have been stupid to try to get Potter with that many so they had to abandon their plans. Even though Voldemort did understand this, his anger was still terrible and more than one Death Eater had fallen victim to his Cruciatus Curse.<p>

When he was finally alone again Voldemort sat on his throne and contemplated his next move. He knew that it was probably futile to attack Potter for a while, since he was protected behind those Blood Wards, and that he would likely be moved to the new headquarters for the Order before the Wards lost their power. It would be ideal if he could get someone close to Potter to turn him in but that wasn't a reliable option either. Suddenly realization dawned on Voldemort that he had someone in his midst that would love a chance to get at Potter and would be in the perfect position to strike when the time came: Draco Malfoy.

Voldemort knew that the boy was still seething over what Potter did to Lucious, who still hadn't recovered from the Cruciatus Curse he endured. Admittedly, this worried Voldemort. The attack had happened over three weeks ago and Lucious should have recovered by now, especially since Potter was the one who tortured him. It disturbed the Dark Lord that Harry Potter could be so powerful and he wondered if any of his Death Eaters stood a chance against the boy once he realized his full potential. He quickly dismissed the idea that Draco Malfoy wouldn't be able to take care of Potter, after all he would be personally training the boy, and called for him. The young Malfoy soon appeared and knelt down in front of his master.

"Rise, Draco. I have a proposition for you: I want you to bring Harry Potter to me and I will personally train you and teach you all that I know. This is your chance to avenge your father, Draco. I don't care what you do to Potter as long as you bring him to me alive and sane. I want to watch the light leave his eyes and know that he knows that he was killed by the greatest Wizard to ever live. So what say you, Draco?"

Without the slightest bit of hesitation Malfoy responded, "I'll do it, my lord. When do we start?"

"We'll start as soon as possible. I want you fully prepared when you go back to Hogwarts next year." Draco's face slightly fell at hearing this.

"So I have to wait two months before I can do anything to Potter? Why can't I go after him now? I want him to pay for what he did to my father!" Voldemort slightly smiled at Draco's anger, knowing that he had made the right choice.

"Potter is more powerful than you think he is, Draco. It seems that luck is also on his side. You will get a chance to fight him before September but I'll be with you. It will be more of a test of your abilities and to find out exactly what Potter is capable of than to actually kill him. We will try to kill some of the Order though." Knowing that it would be stupid to argue with the Dark Lord, Draco just nodded and accepted his answer. Voldemort conjured a chair to his right and instructed Draco to sit. From there the two of them spent several hours discussing the finer details of the Dark Arts and how to use them to finally kill Harry Potter.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: The poll to determine Ron's fate is still open so don't forget to vote. Any and all reviews are welcome but no flames.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I know this took a little while and I'm sorry. The holidays took up a lot of my time. This is the last chapter that the poll to decide the fate of one Ronald Bilius Weasley will be open. **

**agnar: The only thing I can say is to be patient. When I got the idea for this story I debated long and hard about whether or not to send Harry back to the Dursleys and in the end I decided to. I have a reason for it, well several reasons actually, and I promise you that the Dursleys will get their comeuppance. And just to let you know Harry will never be trained by anyone, not formally at least. I hate the stories where Harry's in training for three or four chapters while the rest of the world takes a break. Besides I like my characters to be self-reliant. So Harry will learn most things himself.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. I still don't make any money from this.**

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><p><strong>Fade to Black<strong>

For the first time in his life Harry was almost happy to see Number 4 Privet Drive-almost, but not quite. Despite the fact that he could legally use magic and defend himself now there were still the memories of the past years. With these thoughts heavy on his mind, Harry brought his things inside using magic (a smile broke out over his face whenever he thought that now he could finally use magic whenever he wanted), and headed straight to his bedroom. He had no desire to be anywhere near the Dursleys any more than he had to. In fact, now that he didn't have to do anything for them, he decided that this summer would be spent anywhere but Privet Drive. He needed to go to Diagon Alley soon anyway.

When Harry got to his room he didn't even bother unpacking anything. He knew that he couldn't stay there very long before he would have to leave so he wasn't left in the open at Voldemort's mercy. He opened Hedwig's cage and let her outside, the first time she was able to spread her wings at the Dursleys' since Harry had gotten her. As he watched her go off to hunt he noticed another owl making its way towards him. He didn't recognize it but he moved out of the way and let the owl in. It dropped the letter it was carrying into Harry's waiting hand and was out the window as quickly as it came. Assuming it was another letter from the Ministry of Magic (after all the same thing happened earlier that day), Harry was surprised to find that the letter wasn't from the Ministry at all. The only thing that was written on it was his name and he didn't recognize the handwriting.

_Harry Potter now that you're becoming more of a threat to the Dark Lord's reign it may be in your best interest to rely on books other than what can be found in Hogwarts-books of a Dark nature. Only fools refuse to fight on equal terms with their enemies and as everyone knows Voldemort has an extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts. Not learning everything you could about them yourself could prove fatal. I know you may be opposed to using the Dark Arts, since they are usually seen as "evil," but you must remember that magic itself is not evil; magic is simply manipulating your surroundings and it is the will of whoever is using it that makes it good or evil. Even Albus Dumbledore himself has used Dark magic. I know that you have no reason to believe any of this. I also know that you probably think this could easily be a trap. However I want you to know that I want Voldemort dead as much as anyone else and I am willing to help you as much as I possibly can. Should you choose to take this advice I suggest you look somewhere other than Diagon Alley for this information. I believe there was a certain alley that you followed Draco Malfoy to last summer…_

At first Harry felt like taking a shower after he read the letter. He suddenly felt tainted, like merely being in the presence of the letter was corrupting him. The more he thought about it though, the more he realized that this unknown person may have a point. The time for compassion was over and he was more than willing to fight on equal terms with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Besides, he reasoned that if Dumbledore had once used Dark magic then it couldn't be too bad. In fact, if memory served him correctly, he had willingly used a Dark spell not too long ago that he felt absolutely no remorse over. Having made up his mind, Harry went downstairs to tell the Dursleys that he would be leaving for a few hours.

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><p>Not far from Number 4 Privet Drive, hidden in the shadows, a figure stood quietly as their owl came back to them and perched on their shoulder. They watched as Harry Potter read the letter, the look on his face going from disgust to acceptance. They heard him tell his relatives that he was leaving, a dangerous thing to do given recent events but it pleased the figure nonetheless. At least the boy was serious about this. They saw him exit the house, walk to the end of the drive, and vanish with the faintest pop. The figure smiled to them self; finally there was someone who was willing to fight Voldemort on equal terms and he seemed powerful enough to actually do so.<p>

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><p>The first thing that Harry noticed when he appeared in Diagon Alley was the fear that seemed to hang like a dark cloud. He couldn't help but remember how it was less than a year ago and how much worse it was now. There were very few people in the streets; those that were hurried to their destinations, giving him an odd look as they passed. Shrugging, Harry guessed that the death of Dumbledore had scared everyone and he put it out of his mind as he started walking. He decided that his first stop should probably be at Gringotts: he didn't have much money on him and he wanted to convert some to Muggle money anyway.<p>

After coming out of Gringotts considerably richer Harry made his way towards Knockturn Alley. He wasn't shocked that it hadn't changed very much from the last time he had been there almost a year ago, especially in comparison to Diagon Alley. After all it was closely associated with the Dark Arts and there were many Death Eaters and supporters of Voldemort who regularly visited the alley. It wouldn't surprise Harry if the Dark Lord himself visited this place on occasion. Then it hit Harry that Voldemort would most likely have an underling come here for him, as coming to this place would most likely be beneath him.

Silently laughing at himself for his momentary forgetfulness Harry made his way through the dark streets. He completely ignored the stares of the other people he saw; they were of no concern to him and he didn't feel in danger at this point. He knew where his first stop was, as it was a shop he was familiar with: Borgin & Burkes. The only thing he was looking for the last time he was in there was the exit and at any rate that was five years ago. Besides, he decided that if he couldn't find anything there would someone who could probably point him in the right direction.

After looking in Borgin & Burkes for a little over an hour Harry had a couple new books. If Borgin was surprised to see the famous Harry Potter in his shop buying books about the Dark Arts he hid it well. When Harry asked him for another shop he could go to Borgin told him without any hesitation and went back to tending his shop. Thanking him Harry went on his way and found the other store without any trouble. He spent a couple of hours here too and by the time he left he had everything that he needed. It was just now that he realized the dangers of being out alone this time of the day, especially in such a dodgy place as Knockturn Alley, but he felt it didn't matter too much; besides his trip proved very fruitful for him, so the trip was worth the danger involved.

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><p>The next couple of weeks flew by for Harry. He spent the majority of his time pouring over his new books, trying to drain every last bit of knowledge about the Dark Arts he could. These books were interesting to him and he flew through them without any trouble. He had to force himself to put down the books just to do necessary bodily functions and whenever he was away he couldn't wait to pick up where he left off.<p>

His favorite book was about the art of creating new spells. He had learned so much from it already and he was only halfway through it. One of the most important things he had learned was that there were times, usually during great emotional stress, when a person would naturally use a spell that they didn't know they had created. This seemed to describe the unknown spell that Harry had used about a month ago that killed Antonin Dolohov. Everything made sense, from the great emotional stress to the random spell that he suddenly seemed to know and was able to use perfectly.

From what Harry could tell so far, these naturally created spells were similar to the unknown of becoming an Animagus. As he had already learned through the research he had done in the library, Animagi didn't have the fortune of choosing what animal they turned into; it was already determined for them based on their personality, much the same as Patronuses. In fact, the link between a person's Patronus and Animagus form was very strong: usually the Animagus form was the same as the Patronus. There were a few exceptions to that rule over the years but they were few and far between. The only thing that mattered to Harry however was the fact that this spell that he had created was based on his personality, which both excited and unnerved him. Obviously the spell was a very Dark one, indicative of his apparent affinity for the darker side of magic; on the other hand it was also an exceedingly powerful spell that gave Harry hope for his potential power.

Despite his excitement with his new books Harry hadn't forgotten his promise to write Hermione. He wrote her often, to the point that the three main things he did were sleep, read, and write to Hermione. He still hadn't told her about the books, afraid that she would cast him aside as a friend, but he did tell her that he was studying new stuff and even hinted at the magnitude of it. He knew that Hermione would have no trouble understanding the implications; she wasn't known as the smartest witch of her age for no reason. He knew that he eventually would have to tell her about his newfound studying material (wasn't that what deathbeds were for?) but for now he was contempt to keep that information to himself.

Due to being able to use magic whenever he wanted Harry had thus far had a relatively Dursley-free summer. They never told him to do anything now and as a result he rarely saw them. Even better was the fact that, thanks to the Order actually keeping their word to check in on him, Harry had to eat with his "family" even less. There was someone from the Order to see him at least three or four times a week and it was usually someone who wanted to spend some actual time with him. Remus Lupin, Tonks, or one or more of the Weasleys were regulars and Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt also stopped by quite often.

While Harry was happy to see the Order members he couldn't help but feel that something was different about the way they were treating him. Despite the fact that he was at the Dursleys' they all seemed to want to keep him very informed about everything the Order was doing, from the mundane (such as regularly patrolling Diagon Alley) to the serious (their plan to rescue him towards the end of July). Harry didn't mind this of course, it made a nice change to being kept in the dark, but it was weird and very random that they suddenly decided to keep him in the loop. What was really confusing was the fact that they were practically asking his permission to carry out their plans. They were always very discreet about it, usually just picking up on signs that he didn't approve or thought that said plan was unnecessary but Harry could still tell, and it bothered him; who was he to suddenly be making decisions and have everyone answer to him?

One of the most exciting things for Harry was the day that he and Tonks went to Diagon Alley to buy him some clothes that fit. He and Tonks had gotten closer over the past couple of weeks (to the point that he called her Dora) and he wasn't the least bit uncomfortable with going with her. In fact the two were so comfortable with each other that they didn't even think twice about changing in front of the other, which was good since they often had to. The fact that Harry was going shopping with a member of the female variety didn't faze him at all, even given all the horror stories he had heard throughout the years, because he knew that Tonks would make it fun. He wasn't disappointed either: before they had even left the Dursleys' Tonks had had fun at their expense, by telling them that their nephew was going to come back looking just like she did. Their pale faces gave both Harry and Tonks a good laugh before they Disapparated to Diagon Alley.

It wasn't well known that Madam Malkin's also sold Muggle clothing, since magic folk had no reason to wear them and Muggle-borns bought their clothes in the Muggle world. Naturally Tonks thought this would be the best place for Harry to buy a new wardrobe, since there wouldn't be many people there to notice him. Her hunch was right: there was virtually no one to bother them and the few people that were there paid the two no mind, assuming that it was a young couple out shopping. Madam Malkin was glad to have customers for the first time in a while and was willing to supply Harry with everything he wanted and more. Tonks was more than happy to offer her own suggestions and fashion advice, if only to embarrass Harry. When they finally finished Harry had a completely new wardrobe and he took great pleasure in burning Dudley's old clothes before the two Apparated back to the Dursleys'.

Tonks and Harry arrived to find an empty house. The Dursleys had apparently gone out to eat and Harry was glad to have the entire house to himself and Tonks. For once he could enjoy a meal that he had decided on instead of being forced to eat whatever the Dursleys were having. It didn't take long before he soon had their supper cooked and the two were sitting at the table in silence. If someone was watching them they would have sworn that the two were racing; it seemed that neither of them were taking time to even chew their food, a sight that would have made Ron Weasley proud.

When he finished eating Harry sat back in his chair, contemplating his thoughts. He had kept several things from Hermione recently and he wondered if that had really been the best thing to do. He should have told her about the books and him studying the Dark Arts, that much he was sure of. He probably should have told her about the mysterious letter he received too. The one thing he was unsure of was if he should tell her how he felt. Granted he didn't really know what that was at the moment but he knew that he did feel something for her. Now that he and Tonks had a chance he decided to get her opinion on the matter.

"Dora, I need to talk to you." She motioned for him to go on and sat waiting patiently. "There are some things that I haven't told Hermione and I feel like I should. I haven't told her about the books and I didn't tell her about the letter. I think I like her too but I'm not sure and I don't even know if I should bring it up at all. She is my best friend and she should know this stuff but I'm not sure. I don't want to lose her." He waited as he saw the wheels in her head turning.

"Well you should definitely tell her about the books and the letter," Tonks finally told him after debating with herself. "I think you should talk to her about how you feel too. You need to get that off your chest and talk to her about it. Even if she doesn't feel the same way at least you told her."

"So what am I supposed to tell her? 'Hermione I think I might like you but I'm not sure yet. Could you please wait for me while I try to figure it out?' I don't think she'll appreciate that very much. Besides it's not fair to either one of us."

The words had barely escaped Harry's mouth when Tonks launched herself at him without warning. He didn't have any time to respond before she mashed her lips to his. Harry slightly gasped and Tonks used the opportunity to slip her tongue into his mouth. Soon Harry's male urges kicked in and he deepened the kiss which Tonks seemed to enjoy, judging by the small moan that escaped her. The kiss was more passionate than any he and Ginny had ever had. Just as Harry's hands started wondering he got the feeling that this wasn't quite right; something was missing. He quickly ended the kiss and looked at Tonks, who had a rather smug look on her face.

"What the fuck was that about?" Her smile left quickly as she realized how mad Harry was. Now that she thought about it that probably wasn't the best thing for her to do. However she knew that it would be worth it if Harry finally figured out how he felt.

"I'm sorry Harry. I should have at least warned you. But tell me this: what were you thinking about?" Harry was about to yell at her again before a thought occurred to him. While the kiss itself was nothing short of amazing, the fact that he was kissing Tonks wasn't right. It wasn't because she was older than him, age didn't mean anything to him after the other things he had been through in his life, but it didn't feel right that it wasn't with Hermione. He looked up at Tonks with a slight smile adorning his features.

"It didn't feel right with you. The kiss was great, I have no problem admitting that, but I would've enjoyed it so much more with 'Mione. Ginny was right: I really do like her, a lot more than I would've thought. It felt like I was cheating on her just now actually and I feel empty without her here. In fact I've felt like something's been missing ever since I got back here and I couldn't figure out what until just now."

Tonks nodded before saying, "Good, glad you realized that. Now you know what to tell her and I really think you should let her know how you feel. It'd take an idiot to not realize that she really likes you too, yes I'm calling you an idiot, and how much she wants to be with you. And I swear to you Harry, if you don't tell her then I will." Harry smiled at her before hugging her and whispering a quick "thanks" in her ear.

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><p>Hermione was sitting at her desk working on some of her homework when she noticed an all too familiar snow white owl flying towards her house. She smiled as she opened the window to let Hedwig in. It had been a couple of days since she had heard anything from Harry and she was getting anxious. She untied the letter attached to the owl's leg with trembling hands and started to read it. She soon found that she hated the contents of the letter and she almost regretted even opening it.<p>

It didn't really bother her that much that Harry was studying the Dark Arts. She understood that the user was good or evil not the magic itself, that the Dark Arts was just a name used to dissuade ignorant people from using it. What bothered her was that Harry had been studying them for two weeks and he was just now telling her. While she knew that he was probably worried about how she'd take it, it still slightly hurt her. It wasn't really a big deal and she could easily move past it but that was beside the point. If they were going to have a relationship (was she moving too fast here?) then they could not have secrets like this from each other.

The mysterious anonymous letter bothered her too. Again, it wasn't the letter itself as much as Harry's reaction and the fact that he didn't tell her anything about it. He was lucky that whoever sent it really wasn't an agent of Voldemort, otherwise Harry Potter might be dead at his hands right now. Not only that, he could have gotten himself into something much bigger that he couldn't have gotten out of. Every Muggle knew about the Mafia and she couldn't help but think that there had to be something similar in the wizarding world as well. Worst of all was the fact that he could have at least told her about this before he went off to do anything. After everything they had been through he knew that she would follow him anywhere.

The only thing that kept the letter from being a complete disaster was that Harry finally admitted how he felt about her. Of course she wished that the setting was a bit more romantic but she couldn't really complain. He told her that it was Ginny who pointed this out to him in the first place and it bothered her that Ginny hadn't said anything to her. She couldn't blame Harry for not telling her before, hell he was trying to work things out for himself, but she couldn't figure out why Ginny hadn't said told her. To Hermione it was a violation of trust and she didn't know if she could ever look at Ginny the same way.

Sure it was a seemingly small thing but Ginny knew how much Hermione wanted to be with Harry. It wasn't a schoolgirl crush like Ginny had; Hermione actually felt empty without Harry whereas Ginny just wanted to be with the Boy-Who-Lived. Of course Ginny hadn't realized that at first and Hermione knew that was basically the reason that Ginny had ended it. The problem is that Ginny now realized that she didn't really want to with Harry and she still did nothing to help Hermione, other than pointing out something that Harry should have already known. It was like Ginny didn't want Hermione to be with Harry; it made sense, since Ginny was more possessive than she seemed.

Then there was Nymphadora Tonks. Try as she might Hermione just couldn't bring herself to be the least bit upset with the older woman. Harry told her that Tonks had shoved her tongue down his throat and that he felt like he was cheating on Hermione even though they weren't together. The only thing she felt about this was satisfaction, as shocking as it seemed. Yes, Tonks did throw herself at Harry however there was absolutely no romantic interest between the two and that brazen act was just the kick in the ass Harry needed to finally realize how he felt about the bushy-haired brunette.

Even though Harry had kept several important things from her Hermione still felt like she had gained a lot. At least now she knew that she and Harry had a possible future together and that she wasn't wasting her time. Furthermore she knew that it was safe for her to love him now, based on the things he had just told her. It bothered her though that he had kept what he did from her and she had to punish him. The best way to do that would be to ignore his letter for a few days and let him dangle from the end of the string. She would let him know how it felt to not be told something important.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: So the poll to determine Ron's fate is now officially closed. A big thanks goes out to everyone who voted. Thanks to all of you I've decided to change my original plans for him. The downside to this is that it'll probably be awhile before we see his ultimate fate now.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><strong>Let Me Hear You Scream<strong>

It had been two and a half weeks since Harry had returned to Privet Drive and it had been the best summer of his life. Not only did he have some great books to study and could do magic whenever he wanted (which Voldemort still didn't know about), his relatives were still leaving him alone; it was as if he suddenly didn't exist anymore. Of course Harry didn't mind this attitude at all. He had learned to deal with it from Ron's behavior over the years and it made a nice change from being yelled at all the time. They still saw each other obviously, the house was only so big after all, but these encounters were always brief: Dudley said no more than a quick hello followed by an equally quick goodbye, Petunia gave him a look, and Vernon barely acknowledged that he was there.

The only thing that was bothering Harry was that Hermione hadn't written to him in four days. After his conversation with Tonks, he had written to Hermione and told her everything. He told her that he was studying the Dark Arts, that he had received a mysterious anonymous letter, and most importantly that he finally realized how much he liked and wanted to be with her. He had been somewhat confident when he had sent the letter but now he was really worried that he had done the wrong thing. It scared him to think that he had messed things up with Hermione before they had even started.

He was more than a little worried about how Hermione would accept the fact that he had kissed Tonks. Looking back he was almost sorry that he had told her but he knew that it was for the best. If they were going to be together they needed to be honest with each other and she'd eventually find out. He knew that not even Heaven would be able to help him if she discovered that he hadn't been completely honest with her, no matter the circumstances. Besides, if she was really that upset about it then the relationship probably wouldn't work out anyway. Hermione was a smart girl and she knew that neither Tonks nor Harry intended for the kiss to be anything more than it was and he reasoned that she couldn't be too upset about it, especially given the results.

He knew that even though she may not be happy with his choice to pursue the Dark Arts she would stay by his side and support him. She may even bring herself to learn some of the "forbidden" magic herself. He also knew that she probably wouldn't be too upset with him about the letter. The biggest problem she'd probably have with it would be that he had actually heeded the advice within and disregarded that it could easily be a trap. Any anger she felt about the incident would be completely dwarfed by her worry for his safety.

So he had to ask himself again why she wasn't writing him back. He seriously doubted that she was actually angry with him, especially considering that he had done things much more deserving of her anger that he had gotten away with. It didn't make sense that she would suddenly stop talking to him just because she was mad at him anyway. He knew that there must be an actual reason since Hermione wasn't the type to hold grudges and she was too level-headed to do something this childish anyway. The suspense was killing him and more than once he had to stop himself from writing her yet another letter.

He had written Hermione ten more letters since the last one and had started countless more than he had quickly discarded. He wanted her to know exactly how bad he felt for whatever it was that he was supposed to have done. Unfortunately he kept forgetting that Hedwig was still at Hermione's and he had no way of delivering them. So he had several letters addressed to her that were sitting on his desk waiting patiently for Herwig's return. The thought had dawned on him on more than one occasion that he could easily Apparate to Hermione's house but if he was in hot water he didn't want to do anything to make it worse.

In the back of his mind Harry knew that there was a possibility that Hermione was in danger but he couldn't let himself think that. He couldn't allow himself to fall into despair, especially in a time like this. Besides, he reasoned that if something had happened someone from the Order would have told him. Despite knowing this a part of him still believed the worst had happened and he didn't want to think about it. Hermione was the best thing in his life and he couldn't risk even thinking about anything terrible happening to her.

The idea of her being kidnapped or killed or even worse was beginning to sound better to him until he happened to spot a snowy white owl rapidly making its way to his room. Never in his life had Harry been so happy to see Hedwig. He quickly moved out the window to let her in and breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't know he had been holding when she finally landed on his bed. His hands were shaking so much that he had difficulty actually untying the letter. When he finally got the strings loose and actually paid attention to it his face fell: a scarlet letter was never a good sign. Harry hated the idea of opening the Howler but he had seen the results of too many to know that not doing so would be worse than actually opening it. As soon as the letter was open Hermione's angry voice filled the room.

_HARRY JAMES POTTER! How dare you not tell me that you're studying the Dark Arts now? You know that I can help you out and that I'll always have your back, unlike some people I know. And how dare you follow the instructions in a mysterious letter without even telling anyone or checking to see if the letter was genuine? You're lucky that it wasn't a trap or you could've been kidnapped or killed or worse! You think that just because you're allowed to do magic whenever you want that you're invincible now? In case you've forgotten, Voldemort can use magic too and he's quite good at it. Don't forget that the only person who's ever actually defeated him was Dumbledore. Do you enjoy making me worry about you so much? Well I promise you that I won't be worrying about you after a few days. And another thing-_

Harry never found out what the other thing was that Hermione was talking about. It was apparently at that moment that Uncle Vernon had decided that he was tired of hearing yelling coming from Harry's room, especially when he shouldn't have anyone in there with him, and went to investigate. He threw Harry's door open and stood there in shock. He never dreamed that he would see a letter talk for itself, much less yell at anyone, but here in front of him was a letter that was yelling at his freak of a nephew. Vernon was speechless for only a few seconds before his voice, and his temper, returned to him in full.

"HOW DARE YOU BRING THIS FILTH INTO MY HOUSE BOY? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, BRINGING YOUR FREAK STUFF INTO THIS HOUSE? WE FEED AND CLOTHE YOU AND THIS IS THE THANKS WE GET? I WON'T STAND FOR IT! WHAT IF THE NEIGHBORS FIND OUT ABOUT THIS?" Harry rolled his eyes at this. It didn't surprise him at all that his uncle cared more about what the neighbors thought than anything else. His voice was calm as he addressed the older man.

"In all honesty I don't care what the neighbors say about this. It doesn't matter what they say or do anyway. As for why I'm bringing my 'freak' stuff into this house, where else am I going to take it? And you need to find a better way to make me feel guilty than to say that you feed and clothe me. Ever since I've lived here you've fed me whatever's left over, the only clothes you gave me were the ones that Dudley had outgrown, and for the first nine years I was here my 'bedroom' was the cupboard under the stairs. As far as I'm concerned I don't owe you anything, especially hiding away in this room to preserve your image!"

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU LITTLE FREAK? I TOOK YOU IN OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART AND THIS IS HOW YOU THANK ME?"

"Out of the goodness of your heart? YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME AND YOU NEVER HAVE, YOU FAT SON OF A BITCH! THE ONLY REASON YOU TOOK ME IN WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE SCARED OF WHAT PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE MIGHT DO IF YOU REFUSED! THAT'S THE ONLY REASON YOU LET ME STAY WHEN I SAVED YOUR SON TWO YEARS AGO TOO!" Harry didn't even see the fist that connected with his jaw and sent him sprawling to the floor.

"I'm not going to take that from you, you little shit. You don't deserve to live here; you do nothing but freeload off of us, common decent folk. I'm going to make you sorry that you were ever born to those freak parents of yours." Vernon Dursley had barely finished saying this when his foot collided with Harry's stomach and he was left winded. Over and over again his uncle kicked him, each time harder than the last and Harry was soon fighting to not throw up. He made no sound or any indication that he was in pain; there was no way he was going to give the man that satisfaction.

When Vernon grabbed Harry by the hair and shoved his face into the floor he knew that the whale wasn't planning to stop anytime soon. The blood dripping from his nose seemed to finally wake Harry up to the danger he was actually in. Unfortunately by this time it was almost too late. There was no way he could think straight with the beating he was being forced to endure. However in his subconscious Harry knew that if he didn't somehow stop this brutal assault that he'd likely be dead by nightfall. Fortunately that same subconscious also knew what to do to protect him.

"_Fulmisium_," Harry barely murmured as he pointed his wand at his uncle. Black lightning shot out of the end of the wand and sent Vernon flying across the room. He hit the wall and slid to the floor, where he continued to writhe and scream in pain as the lightning passed over his body. Without realizing what exactly it was he was still doing, Harry slowly and cautiously made his way to his feet. He heard the screams of his uncle but what was happening didn't register with him until he looked and saw Vernon still suffering from the _Fulmisium_ spell. He thought about ending it for only a second before a hard glare settled over his face and he used the spell to its full power on his now helpless uncle.

"So how do you like it, Dursley?" he asked him in a low, dangerous voice that didn't really sound like him. "How do you like being assaulted by someone who you can't do anything to? All my life you've waited for this day, the day that you could brutalize me, and yet it seems that I'm the one who's come out on top. And you can rest assured that this pleases me to no end. I've been wanting to put you in your place for a long time, ever since I first found out that I'm a wizard.

You've always called me a freak, but did it ever occur to you that maybe I'm the normal one here? Did you ever even stop to think what my life's been like, being hunted by the most powerful Dark Lord ever? The least you could do is be understanding but you decided to treat me like a slave, as something beneath you. It all ends today." Unbeknownst to Harry, Dudley had heard his father's screams and come to investigate. Harry never saw him enter his room until he heard the other boy yell at him.

"What the bloody hell are you doing to my dad, Potter?" Harry had barely turned around when he found himself tackled to the floor by his cousin, who proceeded to strike any part of him he could. Before long Vernon had recovered from his lightning-induced torture and made it back to his feet. He took one look at the scene before him and smiled a sickly grin before he gave Harry yet another kick.

"That's it Dudley; that's my boy! Keep beating him son. Soon we won't have to put up with him or his kind anymore, hahah." With that father and son teamed up to inflict as much punishment as they could on Harry. Dudley had him pinned to the ground and was repeatedly hitting any part of him he could while Vernon was kicking and stomping his midsection and lower body. Harry knew that this was the end for him. How ironic was it that the very people that were supposed to keep him alive were the ones who were going to finally end his life. With what he thought would be his last words, Harry said the one thing that came that came to his mind: "Her-mio-ne."

* * *

><p>Across London Hermione's parents were panicking. Their daughter had suddenly collapsed halfway through their dinner. They were going to call for an ambulance when she regained consciousness just as suddenly, further startling them both with a slight yell. She looked pale and panicked and her eyes had a hard, fierce look in them. They looked at her both for an explanation that was quick in coming.<p>

"It's Harry. I've got to go to him. I don't know what's wrong but he needs me. I just suddenly felt like he was in some kind of pain or terrible danger or something. I'm not exactly sure what it is but I'm going to him. There's nothing you can say or do to stop me either." Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at each other and then back at Hermione before Dan addressed his daughter.

"How will you get there if you don't know where he lives, sweetheart?"

"He lives at Number 4 Privet Drive. I know I've never been there but I should still be able to Apparate to it, since I know where it is I want to go." As she said this she was collecting some fresh clothes and certain toiletry items. She justified this by telling her parents, "I'm not sure if it'll be safe to leave him by himself tonight and I'm staying there if I have to so I'm taking this stuff with me." In five minutes she was ready to go. She gave both her parents a fleeting hug before she turned on the spot and Disapparated.

She arrived outside a well kept house on an equally well kept street. She rushed to the front door and let herself in, not even bothering to knock. She walked in and went immediately to the sitting room where she saw a thin, horse-faced woman sitting on the couch. She was reading a book, seemingly oblivious to the noise coming from upstairs, and did a double take when she noticed Hermione standing there. She opened her mouth to scream but found that she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. Hermione smiled as she lowered her wand and walked towards Petunia Dursley.

"I'd keep quiet if I were you. I know how you and your husband have treated Harry over the years and I promise you that I will personally see that you pay for it. As much as I'd love to do that now however I have to save him. So why don't you wait down here for all this to be settled?" The young Witch conjured ropes to bind Harry's miserable excuse for an aunt, left her stuff on the coffee table, and sprinted up the stairs. She followed the noises to Harry's bedroom where she saw him being beaten by his cousin and uncle, both of whom looked as though they could eat everything at an all-you-can-eat buffet and still be hungry.

"_Stupify_!" she yelled, pointing her wand at Vernon. He flew across the room and landed in the middle of the floor. Dudley looked up and was about to charge Hermione when he met the same fate as his father. Now that neither of them were in danger Hermione went over to Harry, helped him to his feet, and started healing him. They didn't notice that Dudley had made it back to his feet until he opened his mouth.

"You bitch! What did you do to my dad? If you did anything to him I swear I'll kill you!" Dudley had barely made it to his feet when Hermione's demeanor changed. There was no way that she was going to take that from someone who had constantly bullied her Harry. This spoiled brat needed to be punished and she knew the perfect spell to do so, even if she didn't know how she knew it.

"_Fulmisium_," she said, pointing her wand at the large boy. She had a mirthless, dark smile on her face as the red lightning shot out, struck Dudley, and flung him against the wall, just as Harry had done to Vernon. The boy lay on the ground, trying his best to not give this bitch the satisfaction of hearing his cries of pain. For some reason Hermione was getting a dark pleasure from this. "Let me hear you scream, Dudley," she softly said, glad to finally be able to pay him back for what he had to her Harry over the years. As if on cue, Dudley finally let loose a mighty scream and lay there crying, the pain seemingly too much for him to silently endure any longer.

As Hermione was torturing Dudley, Vernon woke up and shakily made it back to his feet. He stumbled and staggered, seemingly unaware of where he was or what was happening, before his eyes fell on the scene unfolding in front of him. He looked from Dudley to Hermione and back again, not believing that his son was being attacked by one of these freaks. His hatred for the young girl quickly grew to an almost unimaginable level and he slowly made his way over to her, intending to make her pay. Unfortunately for him Hermione saw him out of the corner of her eye and sent him flying back with a simple Knockback Jinx. He looked up at her from his place on the ground before his eyes landed on Harry. A snarl quickly formed on his face.

"So you have to have your whore fight your battles for you, you little freak?" At once Harry's anger flared. No one could talk about Hermione like that, especially someone who hated her just because she was a Witch. In Harry's mind Vernon's hatred of magic was the same thing as the Death Eaters' hatred for anyone who wasn't a Pure Blood. Now it wasn't his uncle, someone that he would at least hold back on hurting, lying in front of him, it was just another of Voldemort's supporters that needed to be taught the error of their ways. He trained his wand on his "uncle" and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"_Interia_." His voice was quiet but angry, dark, and full of menace. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Vernon flew across the room, crashed through the wall into the next room, crashed through the wall in that one as well and finally fell in a heap on the floor in his son's bedroom. Hermione looked shocked at this. She wasn't surprised about what Harry had done to Vernon, she felt he deserved even worse than that, but she couldn't help but marvel at the power that he had just displayed. Quickly regaining her senses, she turned to Dudley (who was still sobbing in pain) to tie him up only to see that Harry had already done so. Since when had he gotten so good at silent spell casting?

More to give herself something to do and to save herself from possible embarrassment, Hermione said to Harry, "I'll go check on Vernon and make sure that you didn't kill him. I think you should probably clean up your room." She meant that in both a physical way, that he should fix the newly formed hole in his wall, and a figurative way, that he should remove Dudley. Harry nodded and she turned and left. She walked down the hall to the room where Vernon Dursley was currently lying incapacitated.

There were broken pieces of wood sticking out of his body in numerous places and there was a small pool of blood surrounding him. The odd thing about it was that the wounds weren't bad enough to warrant such blood loss. As Hermione continued to inspect the older man she noticed blood trickling down his chin. She looked closer and noticed that he was bleeding from the mouth, which she knew was usually caused by internal injuries. She quickly scanned Vernon and found that he was suffering from terrible internal injuries, almost too bad for her to heal. She set about healing him and soon Vernon's bleeding stopped.

As she continued checking for any other serious injuries to the man she couldn't help but wonder what exactly caused the injuries. She knew that being thrown through a wall might hurt but it wasn't likely to cause internal injuries, not this serious at least. She knew that he wasn't bleeding like that before Harry hit him with his spell so that only left one real option: the spell itself. She thought back to about a month ago when Harry described using the unknown spell to her. He told her that he forcibly threw Dolohov against the castle wall, much the same as he had just done to Vernon. She also knew that he had been experimenting lately with creating his own spells and that the incantation for this spell sounded very much like "internal." Everything was too connected to merely be coincidence.

After she finished checking Vernon and was satisfied that he wouldn't die she tied him up and went back to Harry's room. She found Dudley outside the door still bound and knocked out with a makeshift gag from his shirt in his mouth. Slightly smiling to herself she walked into the room to see that the wall was repaired and the room showed no sign of a struggle. She walked up to Harry and threw her arms around him, an act that would have actually made Harry disappointed had it not happened. The two of them stood that way for a while reveling in the feeling of holding each other.

Even as they finally drew away from each other their eyes never broke contact. Without thinking about any possible consequences of that she may not feel the same way as him, Harry pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss. It was a chaste kiss (notably absent was the excessive tongue Harry used with Tonks) but it was passionate and quite long. They finally broke apart again and stood there resting their foreheads against each other. It was a magical time for both of them and heaven help the person who dare tries to do something to end it. Nearby a shadowy figure watched the moment with satisfaction. While they were happy for Harry, after all the boy had had a very difficult childhood and he did deserve something like this, they were even more happy that everything to bring about the downfall of Voldemort was being set up quite nicely.

"Well done, Mr. Potter, well done. Everything's starting to fall into place."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I want to apologize for the delay in publishing this chapter. It was difficult to write and I had to go through it in my head several times before I was satisfied with it. There's a lot of talking in this chapter but it helps to set things up I think. So enjoy.**

**1529: Given everything that Harry's gone through I don't think it's sudden at all. It seems more unrealistic to me that after losing so many people in his life and being hunted by the most powerful and dangerous Dark wizard in history that he'd remain so good and pure. And while I do agree that pain can be fought through, intense pain is the same as incapacitating someone. Besides we all do things in the heat of the moment that we regret. And as for Hermione, her use of the spell was mainly spur of the moment.**

**floyddickey: Ha, you picked up on that huh? At first I admit that I did have it in my mind to make it a soul bond story. I've since dropped that idea however. They will have a connection between them, which explains how Hermione knew a spell that Harry had just created, and they can sense each other's mood and thoughts. This connection will actually be explained and explored throughout the course of the story. But no, they are not soul bound, they can't talk to each other telepathically, they aren't destined to be together, and (quick spoiler alert) their relationship won't be all sunshine and daffodils.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. Still don't make any money off this.**

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><p><strong>Just Another Star<strong>

Hermione Granger woke up as the sun was starting to sink down in the sky. She rolled over and looked at the unfamiliar alarm clock beside the bed. Almost 9:00. Had it really been almost three hours since she had gone to sleep? She didn't think she had been that tired. Maybe it was everything that had happened earlier that day.

She stretched again and rolled back over, almost rolling on top of something much too solid to be a pillow. She smiled as she looked down at Harry. She couldn't believe it but it finally happened, he finally kissed her. It had taken him long enough in all honesty but she really couldn't complain. After all it was something that she had waited for and supposedly good things come to those who wait, as she was starting to realize. While she wished that they had gotten together sooner and that the events surrounding them finally becoming more than just friends were much better and more romantic, she wouldn't change any of it even if she could.

As she thought about all this Harry began stirring underneath her. She smiled as he yawned and stretched and finally opened his eyes. As soon as he saw Hermione over him his eyes grew big and he looked around, apparently unsure of where he was. As the thoughts from just a few hours ago came back to him he calmed back down and settled back into the bed.

"Hey," Hermione greeted him. "You're a good teddy bear."

"And you're a bad pillow," Harry responded as he yawned again. He smirked at the offense Hermione took to the statement before pulling her into a hug and giving her a soft kiss. "Hate to say it but it's true. You just never could be still. I had to roll you over so that I could use an actual pillow, instead of laying my head on you." She rose up from her spot against him and slapped his chest. He smirked again before asking why she did it.

"_I_ couldn't be still? You practically sleep walk in bed. I kept thinking that you were going to kick me onto the floor. I almost stunned you more than once actually." Harry chuckled and Hermione settled back against him, wrapping her arms around his.

The two were silent for a while before Hermione finally asked him, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She rose up and looked at him, her eyebrow cocked in disbelief. "I really am fine, 'Mione. At first I was in a bit of pain after you healed me but by the time we laid down here I was much better. Nothing bothers me at all right now. In fact, given our current positions and all, I feel pretty good." Hermione slightly blushed at his comment and rolled onto her back. She grabbed his hand and entwined her fingers with his.

"Harry," she began, her eyes never leaving the ceiling, "was the spell you used on Vernon the same spell you used against Dolohov that night?"

"Yes it was."

"Can you tell me a little more about what was happening before and what happened after you used it?"

"Hold on, let me think…Malfoy had just killed Dumbledore and I was furious. All I wanted to do was to get back at the Death Eaters, all of them, not just Lucius. The rest of them had already gone down the stairs and Dolohov had just sent up the Dark Mark and I pointed my wand at him and the next thing I knew he was slammed into the wall."

"What were you thinking when you did it? Did you say an incantation?" Harry struggled to remember all that he could from that night. It was hazy, and the situation surrounding it didn't help jog his memory, but he had a few memories at his disposal.

"All I remember thinking is that I wanted to punish them all for what they had done to Professor Dumbledore, especially Lucius Malfoy. Dolohov was the one who happened to be there at the time; of course I wanted him to suffer too after what he did to you in the Department of Mysteries. I don't really remember saying any incantation though. No, wait, now I do. I didn't know what it was, what it meant, I didn't know how I knew it, and it didn't register in my mind, I just said the first thing that popped into my head. Well I thought it, I didn't say it. Why are you asking me all this?"

"I think I know what it does."

"And you needed me to replay the events of that night to tell me that?"

"Prat," she said, after she had slapped him in his chest again. "The reason I wanted to know is because I feel sure that this is one of those spells you mentioned that you naturally created. The first time you used it, as you've already told me, you were under great emotional stress and it seemed like you had known the spell for years, just like you told me. It's not unusual that you knew the incantation for the spell when you used it just now either, since the hardest part of any spell is the first time that you use it. It all makes perfect sense really."

"Yeah it does, but what exactly does the spell do? You never told me that part."

"Oh, right. Well, based on the shape I found your uncle in, I'm pretty sure it causes internal injuries. It hits the target with a force powerful enough to cause severe blunt force trauma and make them bleed internally." Harry gave her a skeptic look and she hurriedly continued. "I know, I thought the same thing at first. It's not like you to want to hurt someone like that. But you don't get any pleasure from causing them so much pain, do you?"

"No, not really. I just want them to pay for what they've done. It's typically a momentary feeling and after the pain and anger goes away I don't feel that way anymore. I still want them to pay but I don't want to cause them physical pain like that."

"Exactly. The anger you feel is righteous anger, Harry. It doesn't make you happy that you're hurting them; it makes you happy that you're paying them back for what they've done. And the only time you used the spell was then and just now right?" Harry nodded. "So the spell seems to be more from an aspect of wanting payback instead of wanting to actually hurt anyone, at least not for the sake of hurting them. It was the same way with the Dursleys: you wanted them to experience what you went through, though it didn't hurt that you caused them such pain. I don't think that you have to worry about becoming like Voldemort. Speaking of the Dursleys though, what do you want to do about them?"

"For right now I just want to talk to them. I didn't want to hurt them but I'm not sorry that I did. Vernon and Dudley tried to kill me tonight and I have no intention of letting that slide, especially after what they've done to me for all these years. I'm not going to do anything right now though…I guess we should let them loose now actually. They're probably hungry, though Vernon could definitely stand to lose about a hundred pounds." Hermione smiled at his comment before finally looking at him for the first time during their conversation.

"So does that mean we have to get up?" Harry gave a slight chuckle and nodded. He had to force his hand from her grasp, partially because he didn't want to let go and partially because she had it in a death grip. When he finally freed himself he quickly slid off the bed, afraid that she was going to grab his hand again, and quickly changed his shirt. He thought about changing his pants too but remembered that Hermione was in the room with him and he didn't know if she'd be okay with it.

From her spot on the bed, Hermione watched her boyfriend amusedly as he scurried around trying to get his clothes on as quickly as he could. She knew that he wanted to give her some privacy, should she want it, and couldn't help but be touched by the gesture. Unlike him though, her clothes were clean and she had no desire to change just to go talk to the other three occupants of the house. She stretched and yawned one last time and slowly sat up before making her way off the bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and walked over to Harry, putting a decisive end to his scurrying with a quick kiss. She wound her arm through his and the two went down to the living room where the Dursleys were currently situated.

As they walked in Harry silently revived all three Dursleys simultaneously, a feat that Hermione didn't fail to notice and made a mental note to ask him about later. They all looked at him in fear as he released them from the ropes that still held them. He gave them all a cold, hard look, one that he had seen Albus Dumbledore use more than once. It pleased him when they all shrank further away from him and huddled together even more. He drew out the tension as much as he possibly could, pleased that he was finally able to make them worry instead of the other way around. When he finally spoke there was no mistaking the anger that rolled off his voice.

"Ever since I lived here I've known nothing but cruelty at your hands. Does that sound familiar? It should, it's the same thing that Professor Dumbledore told you almost a year ago. Does it strike you as odd that everyone who knows me seems to say that same thing? Does that ring any bells in your head?

"The incredible thing about all of this is that I never once thought about revenge. I never sat alone in my room brooding over all the terrible things I could do to you." At this point Vernon opened his mouth to say something and Harry silenced him with a quick flick of his wand. "For once be quiet Vernon, I'm on a good roll here. Where you went wrong was tonight, when you two tried to kill me and you did nothing to stop it.

"Not to have anyone take pity on me but in case you haven't noticed (which of course you haven't, being the horrible people you are) I haven't had an easy life, especially these past few years. Two months ago I watched my headmaster get murdered. A year ago I saw my godfather get killed by his own cousin. Two years ago I watched Voldemort kill a friend right in front of me before he tried to kill me as well. And he's been trying to kill me ever since that night. And in case you've forgotten, both my parents were killed by that same person and I had to grow up here, in this prison. It doesn't help that I didn't have any friends until I went to Hogwarts either.

"As my guardians and my only family I should have been able to come to you for support whenever any of this happened, whenever I needed help and support and guidance. I had to grow up by myself though, and I had to grow up much faster than I should have, than anyone should have. I always knew that you disliked me, that's no secret just as it's no secret that I dislike all of you, but I never thought you'd actually try to kill me. I guess it shouldn't surprise me though. However, even given the animosity between us, I could forgive that and all of this would have been avoided if you hadn't have insulted and tried to attack Hermione like you did.

"We may have just gotten together all of a few hours ago but Hermione is more of my family than any of you will ever be. I don't care what you say about me, hell after six years of being in the spotlight at Hogwarts and in the Wizarding world in general I'm used to it by now, but never, and I mean **never** speak of ill her again. And if you threaten to kill her again I swear to you that you will regret it." Harry paused to catch his breath and calm down a little before continuing on. "In about a month I'll be leaving this place for good, and trust me that I'll never look back. I don't know what you have against me and my parents and the Wizarding world but-"

"You're all freaks." Petunia's voice was barely above a whisper and at first everyone was wondering who had spoken. Her eyes were big and she looked petrified. "But it's still fascinating and amazing. Lily could do it, and she was friends with that, that _boy_ and then she got that letter and I knew that I had lost her. I tried to go, I wanted to go, but I couldn't do magic and wasn't allowed. After that I never wanted to see or talk to her again."

Her eyes were as big as saucers by this point as she looked at Harry, hoping that the worst wouldn't happen. Harry stared right back at her, his face unreadable as he took in everything she had just said. As his mind processed what he had been told he quickly went through many emotions. Soon he only felt one thing, the same thing that he had been feeling for most of the entire "conversation."

"You were jealous of my mum, Petunia?" She slowly and fearfully nodded, her eyes never leaving Harry's. "You were jealous of her and my dad and all of us that could do magic so you masked that with fear?" She didn't have to nod this time; she, and everyone else, could easily tell that this wasn't so much a question as it was an accusation. "You kicked my mother out of your life because you were jealous of her and my dad?"

Petunia was shaking with fear as she nodded yet again, her voice seeming to fail her now. No one, not even Hermione, blamed her for being so afraid: Harry's voice rose as he continued talking. The young Wizard closed his eyes, his entire body shaking with rage. When he finally opened his eyes back up the look he was giving his aunt would have made even Voldemort shrink away with fear.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU'RE THE REASON THAT MY LIFE HERE HAS BEEN SO TERRIBLE, ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR PETTY JEALOUSY! I'VE BEEN TREATED LIKE SHIT HERE BECAUSE OF YOU! AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BE JEALOUS ABOUT? YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO MAGIC BUT YOU HAVE A NICE, EXPENSIVE HOUSE, EXPENSIVE POSSESSIONS, AND A LOVING FAMILY! I WAS ROBBED OF MY FAMILY BEFORE I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND ANY OF IT AND _YOU'RE_ THE JEALOUS ONE? YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!" Seeing his nephew treat his wife liked this seemed to give Vernon his courage and, for whatever reason, his voice back and he stood to face Harry.

"NOW SEE HERE BOY! I WON'T LET YOU TALK TO MY WIFE LIKE THAT!"

"SHUT UP, YOU ASSHOLE!" Harry trained his wand on Vernon and sent him flying back onto the couch. He looked up at his nephew with fear in his eyes again and grabbed Petunia and Dudley in a three-way hug, sure that they were all going to die at the teen's hands. Apparently Hermione thought the same thing and decided to interfere. She didn't really care what happened to the Dursleys anymore, not after what she had just heard, but she didn't want Harry to do something he would regret or to kill in cold blood, as Voldemort had on so many occasions. She grabbed his arm and forced him to lower his wand, pulling on his hand to lead him out of the room.

Before she left she looked back at the three cowering family members and told them, "No matter what it may have seemed like, he did love you all, despite the treatment you subjected him to. After this though, I'm more worried about the three of you than I am about Voldemort." With that she turned and went out of the door, pulling Harry all the way up his bedroom. As soon as she pulled him in he immediately went into a tirade.

"WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS JEALOUS SHE THINKS SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO TREAT ME LIKE LESS THAN DIRT? AND SHE WAS JEALOUS OF MY MUM AND DAD, NOT ME! WHY THE HELL COULDN'T SHE TREAT ME INDIFFERENTLY INSTEAD OF IMMEDIATELY THROWING ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY? SHE'S JUST LIKE SNAPE!"

"I know sweetheart, but please just calm down. You're hurting my ears." Harry glared at her and she never broke his gaze. It seemed that now that they were together she had even more confidence to stand up to him. After a few moments he looked away and started to walk out the door. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make them suffer for what they've done, especially Petunia!" Hermione gasped at this, never really thinking that Harry could do something like that. She knew that he was furious, and admittedly she didn't blame him, but she couldn't let him do what she imagined he must be thinking. Besides the fact that it wouldn't be right to kill them over this, she knew that Harry would eventually regret his actions and she didn't want him to go through that. Thinking quickly she Disarmed him and magically locked the door. He rounded on her, a murderous expression on his face, and she again didn't back down. "OPEN THE DOOR, HERMIONE!"

"No. I'm sorry love, but you really need to calm down. I don't know exactly what you're planning to do but if it's what I think it is then you'll regret it. Hell you'll probably regret it even if it's not what I think it is. I don't want you to do anything you might regret. I know you, and I know that it'll tear you up inside." Harry continued to glare at her for a few minutes before he finally broke down. She opened her arms for him as he stumbled over to her. She had never seen him cry before and she didn't really know what to do. She just held him as his tears flowed.

"I'm sorry," he finally managed to say between sobs. "I'm so sorry; I never should have done that. I went too far, I know. I was just so angry when I heard her say that." Hermione didn't really know why he was apologizing to her for that, it didn't really affect her, when she barely heard him whisper, "I'm so sorry, Mum." Her own eyes got misty as she realized he was apologizing to his mother for what he almost did to her only sister. She was sure that Lily Potter wouldn't have wanted her only son to kill because someone was jealous of her, especially if that someone was her own flesh and blood, and Harry had apparently come to the same conclusion.

"I'm sorry to you, Hermione," he told her as they finally drew away from each other. She looked at him questioningly as he continued. "I know you had to be scared, especially being here in the room alone with me. It wasn't fair of me to do that to you and put you through that. Thank you though, for willing to potentially put yourself in harm's way to keep me from doing that. You're right, I would've eventually regretted that." Hermione shook her head.

"I wasn't scared, not for my own safety anyway, and I knew I wasn't putting myself in harm's way. I know that no matter how angry you may get, you won't do anything to hurt me. I'm just glad that I was able to help you and keep you from actually going through with whatever it was you were going to do." With a wry smile, Harry hugged her again and the two fell back onto the bed. They lay there for a while, Hermione stroking her fingers through his messing black hair while Harry twirled the ends of her wavy brown locks between his fingers. "Harry I have something I want you to do for me." He turned his head and looked at her, the look in his eyes telling her that he would do whatever she wanted. She took a quick breath and continued, "I want you to have dinner with my family tomorrow night."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I just want to clarify one thing, since I'm sure I'll get questions about it otherwise, Harry and Hermione did not, I repeat did NOT, sleep together. It's much too early for them to be doing that.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to get this up. The next chapter should be up much sooner though.**

**TsukiyoTenshi: It was a little bit of both actually. The spell was one that he invented but he didn't know that he invented it. Not only was it accidentally invented, it was accidentally used.  
>LordRahl80: Be patient. The Durlseys won't get off easy, I promise you that.<strong>

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. I still don't make any money from this.**

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><p><strong>Rise Above This<strong>

Harry lay on the bed, never blinking or looking away from Hermione. His expression never changed at all actually, like it was suddenly frozen in this weird half smile. Hermione didn't know what to think and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes several times.

"Earth to Harry. C'mon, snap out of it, it's not that big of a deal." She finally gave him a light slap across his cheek which seemed to bring him out of his daze. He shook his head and looked at her as though he was seeing her for the first time.

"Oh, Hermione. I just had this weird idea that you suddenly asked me to go eat dinner with your parents tomorrow night." Hermione gave him a look that told him this wasn't going to work. Nevertheless Harry held on to his half-hearted attempt to feign ignorance.

"That wasn't a dream, Harry Potter, and you know it. This is serious. I really want you to come over and properly meet them. And it isn't just my parents. I never told you this, since it's really never come up, but I have a younger brother and sister. They're twins and they'd love to meet you after everything they've heard about you."

"…why are you pushing this so soon and so hard?"

"…I…I…I'm sorry, I just can't tell you." She looked on the verge of tears and Harry took her in his arms, kissing her on her nose. He suddenly felt terrible for causing her this pain. He didn't know why he was fighting this so much but he quickly made up his mind.

"Alright, I'll go eat with your family, but you have to promise that you'll tell me why you're so damn persistent about this happening now." Hermione was completely quiet for almost an entire minute before kissing Harry again.

"Thank you," she murmured. "I promise you that I'll tell you everything tomorrow. You deserve to know but I just can't tell you right now." Harry accepted this for now and let the subject drop and went back to twirling her hair between her fingers. As he stroked it an image that he had just seen but hadn't really paid attention to came back into his mind.

"'Mione, why is there a random bag of your stuff in the living room?"

"What makes you think it's mine?" She smirked as Harry looked at her incredibly.

"Are you really going to do that? Give me some credit, I know when something's yours just by the way it looks. It's pretty obvious too, since it's not something that the Dursleys would have and they wouldn't randomly leave it on the coffee table like that. Petunia would have a fit if anyone did that." Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. She hadn't really planned to tell him that she was going to stay there; she just wanted to fall asleep with him and call it an accident. She knew that she had to say something now though. She was already keeping a secret from him and she didn't want another one looming over her.

"Okay, I didn't want to tell you this and risk you not letting me but I want to stay here with you tonight. Before I left home I packed that bag in case something was really wrong and I needed to stay here for whatever reason. I knew that something terrible was happening because I could tell how much pain you were in. I didn't want to risk leaving you by yourself if it was something that you couldn't handle alone. I know I don't have to worry about anything bad happening to you now but I don't want you to be by yourself tonight after what just happened downstairs. What Petunia said may come back and haunt you again later on and if you're by yourself who knows what you'll do to them this time. Like I said before, I don't want you to do something that you're going to regret. So I'm staying with you tonight, in this bed, whether you want me to or not."

Harry sighed before asking, "I guess this is one of those relationship things that's already been decided for me, huh?" Hermione giggled and nodded. "Fine, you can sleep here but I'm sleeping on the right side. It's closer to the door if anything happens and I prefer this side anyway…'Mione I know it's random but tell me again how you knew that I needed help." Hermione rolled her eyes at him and flopped down onto the pillow. She had already told him twice and didn't feel like telling him for a third time. Nevertheless she indulged his request, even if she only did so halfheartedly.

"I told you two times already babe. I sensed you call out to me and then I suddenly felt pain all over my body. It was like I was being repeatedly burned with hot irons or something. It only lasted for a few seconds, not long enough to worry about, but it was really intense. I felt like I was being tortured honestly. I never heard your voice or anything but I knew immediately that it was you and that you needed me. Why do you want to hear the story again?"

"I'm just trying to figure out how you knew I needed you. I did call out your name, well I quietly gasped it, but there's nothing I know of that could cause you to have heard it. But you just said that you didn't actually hear me say anything, didn't you? I have been studying and trying to learn Legilimency so maybe that had something to do with this."

"I seriously doubt that Harry. Legilimency doesn't allow you to communicate with others, it just allows you to read their mind. Even if you were to unconsciously use it in a new way it probably wouldn't be quite like that. It could have been some kind of a communication spell that you accidentally used in your moment of need." Harry was quick to point out that that wasn't very logical either since she didn't actually hear or see anything, she just sensed that he was in pain and had called out to her.

"Well then I don't know. I'll try to find out later but for now I have a question for you, a much more important and simpler one. When you Silenced all three of the Dursleys at once did you have to consciously think about what you were doing or did you not really think about it?" Harry just looked at her with a surprised look on his face. "What?"

"Hermione Granger is putting off finding an answer about something new?" Hermione slapped him in the chest as Harry laughed. "Ow!"

"Prat. That can wait til later, when we have a means to find out about it. Besides I'm here now so it doesn't matter too much. Now answer my question."

"Okay, Okay. I guess I didn't really think about it, I just did it. It just came natural to me. Silencing three people wasn't any different than just Silencing one single person. That should be normal though, right?" Hermione sat back up and gave him a look of surprise.

"No, that's not normal, not at this age. It's definitely a good thing though: it's indicative of your power and potential. If this is just a portion of your power then you may very well be even more powerful than Voldemort someday. Don't let that go to your head though because it'll be a while before that happens and, even though you may be greater or equal to him, don't forget that Voldemort is over fifty years older than you and has much more knowledge than you. Power alone isn't enough. Never forget that." Deciding a change in subject was necessary, Harry quickly started asking questions about Hermione's family and soon the two teens went back to sleep.

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><p>Harry woke to an empty bed the next morning. He wasn't really surprised that Hermione had let him sleep, especially after the day that he had yesterday, but he had thought that she would at least try to wake him up. He knew that she didn't want to disturb him though, for which he was very thankful. He wanted to know where she was but he was so comfortable that he didn't move from his spot in bed, trying his best to stay awake. It wasn't long before Hermione actually came in brushing her teeth to check on him. She smiled when she saw him at ease for what seemed like the first time in over a month.<p>

She let him lay in bed as she finished brushing her teeth then she tried to get him up. When she couldn't with conventional methods she finally resorted to using the _Aquamenti_ spell to drench him. She laughed when he nearly fell off the bed in his surprise and helped dry the bed. Giving her a rather grumpy look, Harry stalked past his girlfriend and set about getting ready for the day. Hermione busied herself by looking through some of the Dark Arts books that Harry had lying on the desk. Harry soon came back into the room with his own teeth freshly brushed and his hair combed as best as it could be and gave Hermione a passionate good morning kiss.

"Mmm, I could get used to that," she said after he drew away. "It took you long enough to get up though."

"How long was I asleep?"

"We went to sleep about eleven and it's nine-thirty now, so about ten and a half hours. I would've gotten you up but you seemed like you could use some sleep. Besides you looked so comfortable that I couldn't bring myself to wake you. I was going to make you breakfast in bed actually but I decided against it since I didn't want to run into the Dursleys."

"For future reference, please don't. And don't hit me again."

"Fine, you can go cook your own damn breakfast, I have to go do something anyway. I'll be back soon." Without another word Hermione turned on the spot and Disapparated with a soft pop. Wondering what she had in mind, Harry made his way down to the kitchen to cook breakfast. He had just finished cooking when Hermione Apparated back, almost on top of him. "Oh I'm sorry sweetheart. Mum and Dad just agreed to have you over tonight, around five or so."

"And it took you twenty minutes to do that?"

"Of course. I had to talk to convince them to let you come over on such short notice and I couldn't leave without telling them what happened to you last night. Oh, I had to assure my dad that nothing happened between us last night either. That definitely took time. Unfortunately, he's a stereotypical dad when it comes to things like that."

"Whatever. Right now I think you should eat before the food gets cold, especially since I cooked it for you without magic." Slightly taken back by Harry's abrupt change in subject, Hermione sat down and let Harry serve her the pancakes he had just made. The two of them ate to their hearts' content, talking about nothing important. They reveled in this time of peace, especially after the tumultuous events of the past sixteen hours. "So what time are we going to your family's?"

"I told them that we'd be over there about five or so. We're not going to eat until later, probably about seven or seven-thirty, but I want you to spend some time with them."

"You've got something pretty big planned, don't you?"

"Honestly, yes I do. I know that you won't like it and I don't even like it myself, but it has to be done. It's the same reason I want you to come over there tonight and I'll keep my promise. By the end of the night you'll know why this is so important to me, possibly before then. All I ask is that you continue to be patient with me." Harry didn't really like this answer since he had a sinking feeling about Hermione's "plan" but he let it go for the time being. It was no use arguing over it; he knew that Hermione wouldn't tell him anyway.

They spent the rest of the day acting like two teenagers for once in their life. The Dursleys had apparently left for the day so they didn't have to worry about being hounded by them. They knew that this time together, just the two of them, wouldn't last very long for whatever reason: either they would have to put up with the Dursleys again or they would be surrounded by members of the Order and their friends. Both of them reasoned that things could be worse (they could not be together at all) but that didn't mean that they liked this thought.

At four o'clock Hermione went to take a shower while Harry decided to pick back up on his reading. Soon Hermione came into his room, grabbed her bag, and went back into the bathroom to finish up. About twenty minutes later (what Harry could only assume was a record for many girls) Hermione came back ready to go. The girl standing in front of him wasn't the Hermione he had known for the past six years. His Hermione didn't wear jeans that showed off her curves, she didn't wear a tight shirt that stopped about two or three inches above her jeans and showed off her fit stomach, and her hair was bushy and untamable instead of sleek and wavy.

"Um 'Mione, since when do you dress like that? I've never seen you wear anything like this before."

"I always wear clothes like this during the summer when I'm around people I'm comfortable with."

"So you're not comfortable at the Weasleys' then?"

"I'm not comfortable wearing something like this around Mrs. Weasley and honestly I think Ron might form a puddle from his own drool if he ever caught me wearing this." Harry raised his eyebrows. This was a different Hermione than the one he was used to. It's not that he didn't like her like this, he actually found it quite appealing, he just wasn't expecting it.

"Cocky aren't we?"

Hermione giggled before answering, "Maybe a little. It's more than just that though. Ron's a typical teenage boy. The grand majority of them would be drooling over any girl dressed like this." Harry nodded his agreement. "But anyway how do you like it?"

"Well it's different but I really like it. I have to know what you did to get your hair like that though. I love it, don't get me wrong, but how?"

"I know it's different and that's one of the reasons I wanted you to see it. I want you to know the real me, the good and the bad, now that we're together."

"The bad? What could be worse than your constant studying and need to be perfect?" Hermione gave Harry a look before she hit him in his arm. "Good answer," Harry told her as he rubbed his bicep. "I was only teasing babe."

"I know and so was I. That came close to crossing a line though, just so you know. As far as what I did to my hair, it's the same stuff I used on it for the Yule Ball. They've come out with a new product since then that doesn't take long and is simple to use so it's not really a hassle for daily use. It was like this yesterday too but I'm not surprised that you didn't notice it. You have to go get ready though." She started pushing him out of his bedroom to the bathroom, allowing him to stop just long enough to grab some clothes. Ten minutes later Harry came out of the bathroom, his hair wet and his shirt in his hand. He was shifting through his other clothes as fast as he could, searching for something unknown to Hermione.

"What's wrong with those clothes?"

"They're dirty," he replied without looking up. I forgot that I was wearing both of them yesterday before Vernon almost killed me. I had actually just changed when that happened. Besides I don't think this is nice enough to wear the first time I have dinner with your parents." He finally found a shirt and pair of pants that he liked and turned back to Hermione who was still perched on the bed. "Could you wait outside until I get changed?" Hermione giggled again.

"Why? I've known you for almost six years and seeing you like this isn't much different than if you were changing. Besides I am your girlfriend so are you just never going to change in front of me?" Harry looked at her incredibly before finally stripping down to his boxers and quickly putting the other pair of jeans on. He put on his shirt and used his wand to dry his hair. Hermione looked over him to make sure he was presentable. When she was satisfied she nodded her head and told him, "You'll have to let me guide you since you don't know where I live." Harry took her hand and without a word the two of them Disapparated.

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><p>They appeared at the end of the drive of a very nice two-story house. Still holding hands, Hermione led the way up the drive and into the house, almost dragging a somewhat unenthusiastic Harry behind her. Without even bothering to knock she opened the door and strode in, announcing their presence to the rest of her family. Two younger children, who looked so much like Hermione that Harry would've known they were related without being told, rushed out to greet them and almost knocked her over with the hug they gave her.<p>

Harry stood back and watched the group hug between Hermione and her younger siblings. He couldn't help but notice the wide smile that adorned Hermione's face. It wasn't often that he saw her look this happy from something as simple as a hug. He didn't have time to contemplate this however as he soon found himself on the receiving end of the hug that Hermione had just escaped. Their roles were now reversed with Hermione watching with happiness as Harry was engulfed in the twins' bone crushing hug. He found that their hug, while definitely reminiscent of their sister's, still wasn't quite as strong as those he had come to expect from Hermione.

Before anything could be said by any of the teens, Hermione's parents came in and greeted their daughter and her new boyfriend. They were both glad by this turn of events, even though Dan would never admit it, but like Hermione they wished that the circumstances could have been better. Despite their joy though the only thing any of them knew about the boy was what Hermione had told them, which, though extensive, wasn't nearly enough for Dan and Emma. They ushered the four teens into the kitchen and the next half hour consisted of grilling Harry for information regarding his life. By five-thirty the two adults were satisfied with their questioning and had decided that Harry was the perfect fit for Hermione. Even so, Dan still played the overprotective father role and made sure that Harry knew his limitations; he wasn't ready to be a grandfather at such a young age and he knew that Harry and Hermione were in no way ready to be parents.

The next hour was spent talking, joking, and telling embarrassing stories about each other's past. The twins (Chris and Amy, as Harry soon found out) were very eager to hear all about Harry and if what they had been told by Hermione was indeed the truth. They found the real Harry, modest as he was, to be even better than the image they had built up in their heads. At around six-thirty Dan went to start the grill for their dinner while the rest of them began to set things up outside on the picnic table. Harry had offered to prepare the salad and was inside by himself when Hermione snuck up and hugged him from behind.

"Thank you so much," she told him, kissing the back of his neck.

"For what?"

"For staying so calm when they were questioning you. I honestly don't know how you did it. It was getting on my nerves and I almost told them to quit. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you."

"It's your family, Hermione. Nothing is too much or too hard to spend time with your family, however uncomfortable it may be." Hearing these words Hermione slowly turned him around to face her and gently pressed her lips to his, desperately trying to convey all her emotion to him. Quickly remembering where they were, Hermione ended the kiss and settled for wrapping her arms around him, an act that he mirrored. The two of them stood that way for a few minutes before Hermione finally broke the silence.

"Harry, the reason I wanted you to come over here so much tonight is because I'm going to Obliviate them tonight, before we leave. I'm going to make all four of them forget all about me and the magic world and move to the States. That way they'll be relatively safe from Voldemort." As Hermione broke down into tears and sobbed into his shoulder, Harry soaked in what she had just told him. Finally a thought occurred to him and he spoke.

"Why make them forget about you? They'd only be endangered if they had knowledge of me and Voldemort doesn't know that they're your family. Why not just erase their memories of me and send them to the States? Since you'll be by my side, anything the Death Eaters know about me they'll likely know about you too, so that won't make them any bigger targets. They'll still be protected quite well and they'll be just another family of Muggles to him. Even if he does find out that they're your family I doubt he'll take them as hostages or anything, that's not the way he does things."

By this point Hermione had quit crying and was listening intently to everything that Harry was telling her. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Though she still didn't like the fact that she had to send them to the States at least she wouldn't have to make them forget about her. She wondered why she didn't think of this in the first place. She could only assume that, given how much she wanted to protect her family, something as simple as that slipped her mind. She knew that she still needed to get them to the States soon though.

"Why do you have to do this tonight Hermione?" Harry asked, as if he was just reading her thoughts. "I know you're concerned about them but it's very doubtful that anything will happen to them tonight. We can stay here and then you can Obliviate them tomorrow morning. That way you'll have another night with them and you can put it off for just a little longer. I know this must be tough on you." Hermione looked up at in gratitude.

"Thank you sweetheart. How did you know what I was thinking though?"

"I didn't. I just sensed that you were still upset and it was easy to figure out why. I think it was the same thing yesterday when you said that you could sense that I was in pain." Normally Hermione would want to know more but she found that she didn't really care right now, since her heart was currently lightened of its burden. "Just promise me that you won't keep a secret like this from me again."

"I'm sorry but I can't promise you that Harry. I can promise that I'll always tell you eventually though." Harry wasn't quite pleased with this answer but he let it go for now. He knew that Hermione was still rather shaken up and he didn't want to say anything that might upset her. He nodded and turned back to the salad without a word. Hermione paid him no mind and almost flew back outside to her family, wanting to spend as much time as she possibly could with them before the next morning.

By seven o'clock the six of them were sitting down enjoying the meal prepared by Dan and Harry. The mood was very light and casual and there was a lot of laughter coming from the Grangers' backyard. Harry, Dan, Chris, and Emma all had three helpings while Hermione and Amy only had room for seconds. They sat at the table for another hour after eating before finally beginning to clean up. While the others were taking things inside Dan pulled Harry aside to have a quick talk with him.

"Harry, I like you. You're respectful, you're honest, and you don't think you're invincible like so many others your age. I want to make it perfectly clear though that if you hurt my daughter I will make you live to regret it. Don't try to do anything before she's ready either. If you get her pregnant before you're married then I promise you that you won't get anyone pregnant ever again." Even though Harry had faced Voldemort, Death Eaters, and Dementors many times this one statement from Dan Granger scared him more than all of that combined. He nodded and hurried off to help the others clean, not wanting to spend any more time with Dan right now than was necessary.

The night seemed to pass by quickly, despite the late hour they stayed up. Dan and Emma kept saying that they had to get up early the next morning, as opposed to the other four who had nothing to do the next day, but Hermione continuously pestered them to stay up. Both adults were surprised yet pleased with their daughter's eagerness to spend so much time with them. As a result, it was nearly midnight when they finally put their foot down and said that they were actually going to bed this time. Before they left the room, Hermione steeled herself and began the talk she had been dreading.

"Mom, Dad, Chris, Amy, I want the four of you to go the States. I know this is sudden but it's for your safety. You're all in even more danger now than you were a year ago and I won't be here to protect you. I can't go with you either, I have to stay here to help Harry. I know that this is a big decision but it's the best thing to do. It'll put my mind at ease and get the four of you out of harm's way."

At first all the other Grangers thought that Hermione was joking and they all burst into laughter. Chris and Amy were laughing so hard that tears were rolling down their faces. When Dan noticed Harry and Hermione's serious face he knew that this wasn't a joking matter. He tried to calm himself and the rest of his family down to get to the bottom of this. When he questioned her it was Harry who answered.

"Mr. Granger, you no doubt know that Voldemort has risen to power again in the magic world. What you don't know is that he's much more powerful this time around and even more dangerous. I'm his number one target and he wants me dead more than anything. Right after me are the other five people in this room: Muggles and Muggle-borns. The difference between me and the Muggles is that I'm a threat whereas Muggles are nothing more than pests.

"He'll actively hunt me down but he only kills Muggles and Muggle-borns that cross his path. This time last year you were just another Muggle family to him but now that you know about me, and could possibly have information about me, both of us expect him to hunt you down too. Moving to the States is the best thing for you to do right now. It's not to say that you're not capable of defending yourself, it's just that you're outmatched. While you have guns, the Death Eaters have two simple words: _Avada Kedavra_. Guns are loud and revealing; if the Killing Curse is cast silently then you'll hear nothing and see only a green flash of light. Furthermore, you have to hit a specific spot with a gun; with the Killing Curse you can be hit anywhere and you'll take your last breath."

"But what about Hermione? What about our daughter? If we're in this much danger then she is too." Hermione opened her mouth to reply to her mother before Harry cut her off.

"Hermione is perfectly capable of defending herself, Mrs. Granger. She is a powerful, albeit inexperienced, Witch and she knows what she's going up against. She's smart enough to know to back out if she's in over her head and neither of us feel like she is at this point. If I wasn't confident about her safety then I wouldn't let her stay here. Besides, the difference between her and you is that she is able to fight the Death Eaters on a level playing field and she's proven on more than one occasion that she can defeat them."

The discussion lasted for almost a half hour before the Grangers finally decided that they would move to the States to be in a safer place. Since it was almost one in the morning they put off packing until the next day, thinking that a few more hours wouldn't hurt anything and they were all tired anyway. After a quick debate between Hermione and her parents, the decision was made for Harry to sleep on the couch instead of with Hermione. While Hermione wanted to continue arguing, Harry was content with the decision, telling Hermione "it's only one night, it'll be fine." He gave her a quick kiss, earning himself a glare from Dan, before getting ready for bed with the rest of the family. By one-thirty the Granger household was silent as sleep finally settled over the inhabitants.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: As always, reviews are really appreciated.<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make any money from this, etc., etc.**

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><p><strong>Fury of the Storm<strong>

Hermione watched as her family scrambled around trying to pack their things as quickly as possible. They were all up by nine that morning and after a quick breakfast had started packing their belongings. Now, almost an hour and a half later, they were almost finished. They all had things that they wanted to take but knew that they couldn't. That was when Emma voiced her concerns to her husband.

"Dan, we're going to have to buy all new things. We can't take our beds and our dressers and everything else that we can't fit into a bag. Even if we could somehow get it down to the airport I doubt they'd let us take it on the plane." As usual, as soon as she said this Hermione came to her family's rescue.

"Don't worry about that Mum, Harry and I can shrink it for you. You won't be able to undo it of course but we can arrange for someone to put them back to normal." Before either of her parents could object Hermione had headed upstairs to make their larger belongings travel size, dragging Harry by the arm. In a few short minutes almost the entirety of the Grangers' bulkier belongings could be fit in just a single travel bag and the rest could be put in the nooks and crevices of the other bags they were already using. The two teens packed everything up and brought it all downstairs, laying it at the feet of Emma, who was opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Less than five minutes later the four Muggles were ready to leave their lives in Britain behind for a hopefully safer one in the States. Both Harry and Hermione knew that the moment was rapidly approaching when Hermione would erase Harry from their memories.

"Do you want me to do it?" Harry whispered to her, making sure that no one else heard him. Hermione shook her head, telling him that it would already be hard enough for her and she couldn't bear it if she let him do it. Harry nodded, understanding her reasons completely, and asked her when she was going to do it.

"I want them to say goodbye to you first sweetheart. They won't be able to after I Obliviate them and I know it won't make a difference in the end but I still want them to tell you goodbye. You're just as important to me as they are and I can't let them leave if they don't say anything to you too." Just as she finished telling him Chris and Amy jumped on her again, as they had the previous day, and gave her another bone-crushing hug. When they moved out of the way Emma quickly moved to take their place. She hugged her daughter as well and told her to take care of herself and to make Harry behave. Dan had trouble bringing himself to say goodbye to her; when he finally did it was a simple hug and a kiss on her cheek.

Harry's treatment was similar to Hermione's. The twins gave him an even bigger hug than the day before, almost cutting off his air supply. Emma hugged him and told him to take care of himself and to watch out for their daughter. Dan hugged Harry as well and reminded him that they were letting Hermione stay with him because of how much he meant to her and to not do anything to make them regret their decision. As they all had their backs turned collecting their bags Hermione quickly and silently Obliviated her family, holding back tears the entire time.

"Hermione you be careful over here," Dan told her as he turned back around with his bags in his hands. "Don't do anything too dangerous and watch out for…who's this boy here? Is he a friend of yours sweetheart? The polite thing to do would be to introduce us, you know." With tears finally streaming down her eyes, Hermione took Harry's hand and let him Apparate them both back to Number 4 Privet Drive.

The two of them landed right outside the house, Hermione almost collapsing into Harry. He grabbed her to keep her from falling and pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and they stood there holding each other for what seemed like an eternity. Hermione didn't want to let Harry go; she couldn't bring herself to physically let go of her only source of comfort at the moment. Harry didn't mind since he didn't want to let her go just yet either. He knew what this must be like for her and he didn't want to let her out of his arms while she was this vulnerable.

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><p>In the shadows of a nearby tree a dark figure watched this display of affection with interest. They were starting to get worried when Harry and Hermione didn't return to the Dursleys the previous night, but they reasoned that with the horrible way the teen had been treated they couldn't blame him for wanting a night away from his relatives. Nevertheless, if Harry hadn't returned to Privet Drive soon they were going to search for him; they couldn't help but be relieved when he appeared outside the house. Even given their apparent interest in Harry, the figure wondered what was causing Hermione to break down like this. They used a Disillusionment Charm on themselves and quickly and quietly made their way to her. Using Legilimency they found out that Hermione had just sent her family to the States after erasing their memory of Harry. It was a bold and selfless move and they wanted to reward her for it. Thinking of only one thing, the figure retreated from the two teens and Disapparated, intending to use their contacts in the Ministry to insure the safety and well-being of Hermione's family.<p>

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><p>When Hermione had finally calmed down and the two teens walked inside, the first thing they noticed was the sound of the TV coming from the living room. That in and of itself wasn't unusual, it was Sunday after all, but both of them assumed that the house would be empty when they returned. They were sure that, after Harry's mental episode a couple of days ago, that the Dursleys would be gone by now. Both of them were actually hoping for an empty house, for different reasons. Harry's reason was quite obvious: now that he was almost of age and able to live on his own he wanted nothing to do with the Dursleys anymore. One of Hermione's reasons was the same as Harry's (she couldn't stand the Dursleys either) but she also wanted to be able to live with Harry alone for a while. She knew that this wasn't exactly the best idea right now, since both of them were young teenagers, but that thought didn't register in her mind.<p>

Both of their hopes were shattered however upon hearing the TV. They walked into the living room to find Vernon in his chair and Petunia on the couch watching a television movie. Vernon looked up at the two of them when they walked in.

"I thought you were leaving here boy. What are you doing back?" Harry slightly smirked at his uncle before answering him.

"Sorry to disappoint you Vernon, but I'm rather comfortable here. So I'll be staying for a while longer. I'm going to kindly ask you to not bother us. In return we'll stay out of your way."

"Hah, what makes you think I have any intention of leaving you and your little whore alone to make more freaks like you?" Hearing Hermione being called that yet again caused Harry's eyes to burn with anger. It would take a fool not to realize the depth of what had just happened.

"I told you to not talk about Hermione like that Vernon. Should I remind you?" As Harry raised his wand Hermione's hand closed around his wrist and brought his arm back down to his side.

"Honey, forget about him. It doesn't bother me and he's not worth it." Hermione took it that her words had the desired effect when Harry didn't do or say anything. Taking his hand in hers, she led the two of them out of the living room and into the kitchen. "I know how much that angers you but please don't do anything terrible for me. Besides I can take care of myself, I promise you."

Before Harry could respond, she put her finger to his lips and continued. "I know that you know that and I appreciate it. Just forget about it for right now. Anyway, if we're going to stay here for a while then I think we should put up some more protection, something to let us know if someone comes within the area." Harry agreed with her and so, for the next half hour, the two walked around the Dursleys' property, putting up a ward that essentially acted as a giant Sneakoscope. When they finished their task they went back to Harry's room and started going through some of his books on the Dark Arts. At twelve-thirty the door burst open and Vernon stood in the doorway, glaring at Harry.

"Our lunch isn't going to cook itself boy. Why aren't you down there doing your job?" Harry cocked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off by Hermione.

"Who are you to tell Harry that he has to cook lunch for you? If he doesn't want to eat right now then he shouldn't have to fix anything at all, especially for you."

"You need to keep quiet, you little slut. You're pretty enough that you should be with Dudley, if it wasn't for the fact that you're a freak too. Instead you're with this filth and I'll be damned if I'm going to let the two of you bring any more freaks into this world, not under my roof." Unfortunately for Vernon, this time he had succeeded in angering not only Harry, but Hermione as well. So this time when Harry raised his wand to retaliate Hermione did nothing to stop him.

"_Imperio_," Harry whispered. When the spell hit he felt a tingling feeling running down his arm and his uncle's eyes glazed over. Under his influence Vernon began running himself repeatedly into the walls, Harry and Hermione looking on in satisfaction. Five minutes later Dudley came up looking for his father, a scene very reminiscent of two days previous. Unfortunately for the teen though, this time Harry was expecting him and at any rate he was outnumbered. Before Dudley could do anything to help his dad he found himself under the effects of the Imperius Curse too. After a quick discussion, Harry and Hermione decided to give Vernon back his own mind; they had a brilliant plan to make him pay for what he'd just said. After looking around to make sure that he had come out of his gaze, Vernon set his sights on Harry and Hermione.

"Come on, Dudley, let's get these two freaks." Vernon started walking towards the two when he was suddenly met with a fist to his chest, not from Harry or Hermione but from the one person he would have never expected: Dudley. "Dudley, what are you doing? You're supposed to get these freaks, not your own father! Now help me!" Vernon again tried to attack Harry and Hermione only to be stopped by Dudley.

"Ah, Vernon, I don't believe you'll be doing anything else to us while we're here. You see Ickle Diddykins has been put under the same spell you've just been put under, the spell that allows us to complete control him. I can make him do anything I want him to do, from cooking your food to killing himself. Of course I wouldn't do that, that's something that Voldemort would do, but I have no problem making him hurt you or himself, whichever I feel is more appropriate. Should you leave us alone, like we asked, we won't have any problem. If you don't things could get difficult for you and Dudley." As if to emphasize his point, Dudley raised his fists and drew back, as if to strike Vernon. Fear struck Vernon's eyes as he realized just how serious his nephew was. Before he answered though, his false sense of bravado returned to his features.

"Fine but I didn't think that even you would stoop this low, boy. But I promise you that if you do anything to hurt Dudley I will make sure that you pay." As Vernon turned to leave the room he was knocked to the ground by yet another fist from Dudley. The human whale looked up at his son from his spot on the floor, hurt written all over his face. Though he knew that it was Harry that was doing this to him, he still couldn't get the image of his own son hitting him out of his head.

"I wasn't joking, Vernon. I told you that I'll make Dudley do things to you, things that you deserve to happen to you." Harry bent down beside Vernon and whispered in his ear, "And trust me _Uncle_, the mental and emotional pains will hurt so much more than any physical hurt you've ever experienced. I'll make sure of that."

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><p>The next several days were peaceful for Harry and Hermione. With the threat the Dursleys once posed to them, however minor, now out of the way they were free to be two teens in the beginning of their relationship. Of course Hermione still had to cope with the loss of her family, something that Harry was there to help with, but for the most part they were enjoying themselves. Members of the Order still stopped by quite often, usually for no other reason than to "check up on them," though neither Harry nor Hermione truly believed this reason. They weren't complaining though, since they were both being kept up on current events within the Order.<p>

The one thing that astonished both of them was that the Order still didn't have an official leader. They knew that Moody was acting as the "temporary unofficial" leader after Tonks let it slip one night, but it still didn't explain why the Order was currently without a leader. While it was true that the Order of the Phoenix was composed of many powerful and thoughtful members, any organization without a central leader would eventually be torn apart by the members. History had proven this to be true time and again, a fact that the two teens were sure most in the Order knew. So they still had to ask the question of why the Order lacked a central leader. Their many attempts to find out proved less than fruitful; even Tonks wasn't giving them any information, a difficult feat for her. The one thing that they gathered was that the Order did have someone in mind to be the next leader but whoever this person was was in no position to accept the role at the time.

They were both pleased to know that Voldemort seemed to be keeping a low profile after the death of Dumbledore. It took them by surprise, as well as pretty much everyone else in the Wizarding world, but it was a welcome surprise so no one was complaining. Everyone assumed that with the death of Albus Dumbledore it would only be a few short weeks before Voldemort had the entirety of Magical Britain under his control. There were skeptics though who believed that this may play directly into Voldemort's hands, since everyone was now on edge. Of course the Death Eaters still posed a threat and no one was foolish enough to take them lightly, even without their master present. Fortunately, most people were able to at least survive against the Death Eaters and the Order was able to provide at least equal ground for those still fighting.

Relief was also another emotion that seemed to be constant for the two. No more of the Order members had died since Dumbledore's death, despite the repeated attempts by the Death Eaters, and there was no massive damage dealt by Voldemort's loyal followers. They were told that the Order was working hard to do whatever they could to prevent the Wizarding world from falling into further chaos and apparently it was working. The one thing that caused them more relief than anything else though was the fact that Ron was alive and well. It concerned both of them that they hadn't heard from him at all since the summer began.

Now that things were relatively safe for the two, and they had free reign of the house, they could have their conversations wherever they wanted now. They were also free to finally explore the space the house offered, as evident by the fact that they were presently seated on Petunia Dursley's fine leather couch. Normally this couch was completely off-limits to Harry, since he was such a freak, but he felt it was time to change that. He was relaxing against the left side of the couch, one arm resting on the arm rest while the other held a book. Beside him to his right sat Hermione, her legs lying on top of his. In true Hermione fashion she was also reading one of Harry's books on the Dark Arts. The pleasant silence was broken when Harry began voicing one of his concerns of late.

"Hermione, why hasn't Ron said anything to us yet? Even he's usually written by this time. Granted it's usually three weeks before he sends me the first letter, but the point is that he's still usually written by this time."

"Relax Harry, he's probably just been busy," Hermione replied, not even looking up from her book.

"It's been almost a month though 'Mione. I know the Order says that he's fine, and I have no reason not to believe them, but what the hell is he doing?" This time Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and put the book aside; she could tell that she clearly wasn't going to get any reading done now that Harry had this on his mind.

"Look," Hermione began, already tired of the skepticism Harry was displaying, "you have to remember that most of the Weasleys are part of the Order. Even though Ron's not actually a member, he is of age and it's likely that he is somewhat involved with them. It shouldn't surprise you that he might really be too busy to write you or that he's not allowed. You haven't forgotten the summer before fifth year have you?" Hermione gasped; she had spoken in anger and hadn't thought about her words, something that she noticed she was doing more now that she was with Harry. "I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to bring that up. My point though, is that there may be circumstances keeping Ron from writing. Don't assume anything; these are tough times on all of us and we need to be strong."

Before either of them could say anything else Petunia came into the living room. As soon as she saw them on the couch she immediately started yelling at them, doing her best to put them down. Harry would have none of this though and called Dudley into the room.

"Now Petunia, I'll let you choose: do you want your son to do something to you, to your whale of a husband, or to himself?" Upon hearing this (and knowing from recent experience that Harry's question was deathly serious) Petunia Dursley instantly quit her tirade. As she turned to leave Harry called out after her, "Bring me a drink if you don't mind Petunia. Something with sugar it, I suddenly have a craving for something sweet." His aunt scowled at him but went to get his drink all the same. When it came to her son there was nothing she wouldn't do for him, even if it meant pandering to these "freaks."

A minute later Petunia came back into the living room, carrying a red drink that Harry could only assume to be some kind of Kool-Aid. She sat it down in front of him and quickly left, barely hearing Harry's words of thanks. Harry picked up the glass and took a long drink from it before passing it to Hermione, who proceeded to drink the rest of it. Harry watched in amusement before he sensed something. He looked at Hermione who had almost dropped the glass.

"I felt it too. Harry someone's here." The two of them quickly bolted from the couch and made their way outside. They knew that whoever this was was taking a risk by coming here at this time; nighttime wasn't exactly an effective time to attack a place you weren't familiar with. The two teens had the advantage of knowing the terrain and the intruder had lost the element of surprise, causing them both to breathe a sigh of relief.

"You go around the back side of the house and I'll go around the front," Harry told Hermione from their spot right outside the door. "Whoever it is could be planning anything so make sure that you're on your guard. If you see anything, don't do anything unless you have to. I want to know who or what we're dealing with before we do anything that we may possibly regret later. And if you do actually do something, please keep it at Stunning." Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed Harry towards the front of the house as she went around to the back.

Harry momentarily stopped his search in front of the bushes, attempting to hear anything around him that may be the telltale signs of someone walking around. Not hearing anything, he was about to start moving again when he suddenly felt like someone was behind him in the bushes. He spun around and silently sent a Stunning spell in the general area. It was just luck that the spell hit its mark, something that he wasn't going to reveal to anyone expect for Hermione. He lit the end of his wand to see the intruder and the sight that met him on the ground shocked him into silence. When he finally did find his voice again it was to say only one word.

"Ron?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from this.**

**Bullets in the Gun**

Hermione was currently relieved, worried, and slightly disappointed; an odd combination of emotions, even for her. She hadn't seen the intruder they were looking for at the back of the house, a fact that gave her relief knowing that she wouldn't have to deal with them. This also happened to be the reason for her disappointment, as she was almost looking forward to using her new spell against said intruder and she had been denied this. At the same time she was worried about not finding anyone, as this meant that whoever it was was likely to be at the front of the house where Harry was. As she rounded the corner she thought her worst fears were concerned: she could make out the outline of a figure with their wand lit standing over another figure that was lying motionless on the ground. Without a second thought she rushed over to the two, her wand at the ready. When she drew near the person who was standing turned their lit wand towards her and she was able to tell that it was Harry.

"You scared the fuck out of me!" Hermione told him, doing her best to keep her voice quiet. "When I saw you standing there I thought the worst. Don't do that again."

"Would you like me to let myself get Stunned next time?" Hermione punched his arm, an act that he had become quite accustomed to over the past week. Her adrenaline was still racing and she didn't want to be messed with right now.

"You know what I mean. Let me know next time that something happened. Send up sparks, yell at me, blow a hole in the side of the house, anything to let me know that you're alright."

"Well I'm sorry I didn't do more to reassure you, I was too busy being shocked."

"What are you talking about? Who is this?" In response Harry lifted his wand a little higher and gestured for her to look at their supposed intruder. Her mouth hung open when she saw who it was. "Ron? What is Ron doing here sneaking around at this time of the night? We haven't heard from him from weeks and he just shows up and scares the hell out of us like this?"

"Well, in his defense, I doubt he knew that we had put up a ward that was supposed to warn us if anyone suddenly popped up in this area."

"Then he shouldn't have randomly shown up like this. He should have known that we'd probably be on edge and that there was a strong possibility that we'd attack him."

"Yes but think about who you're talking about baby. Ron's never exactly been one to think that far ahead. I imagine that he decided to come here for whatever reason and didn't think about the fact that we may be likely to attack first and ask questions later, especially this late at night. Don't get me wrong, he is one of my best friends, but even I have to admit that he doesn't use much common sense. He has it, he just doesn't use. It's an important distinction to make, even if it doesn't change the outcome. Nevertheless, I don't think it's right to just leave him here. We need to get him inside and revive him and find out what's so important that he's here at this time." Hermione nodded and wrapped Ron up with ropes.

"Safer this way," she said at Harry's questioning glance. Without a word she waved her wand and Ron's unconscious body rose up in the air. She guided him inside the house, Harry following her with his wand constantly at the ready. While he didn't exactly expect anyone else to be there, especially if Ron was simply being Ron, there was no harm in making sure that he and Hermione were protected. His paranoia proved to be for nothing as there was no one else there. When they finally got Ron inside and laid out on the couch Hermione revived him, making sure to leave him bound in case he got violent. Her precautions proved to be a boon to her and Harry.

"What the fuck are you two doing, attacking me and tying me up like this? I came all this way for help and instead I get treated like another enemy. What the hell? I thought we were friends!" Ron's tirade continued for almost a minute and would have gone on longer if Harry hadn't Silenced him. Neither he nor Hermione were in the mood to hear Ron complaining when they were both sure that they were about to be attacked by a Death Eater no more than five minutes ago.

"Ron, shut up and listen! I Stunned you because we thought that you were a Death Eater or another of Voldemort's followers. Both of us thought that we were going to have to fight for our lives. We put up a ward to let us know if anyone unusual came in here and you happened to trip it. If you calm down I'll undo the Silence spell." Ron quit struggling and thought about what Harry had just told him. It didn't take him long to reach make his decision and he slowly nodded, at which point Harry removed the Silence Charm.

"Am I allowed to talk at least?" Ron asked after a moment's hesitation. Harry gave him a "no nonsense" stare that caused the slight smile that was forming on Ron's face to quickly fade. "Alright, fine, right now isn't the time to joke around. So I'm assuming that you two are slightly paranoid tonight. Fair enough I guess. So, most importantly, why is it that you can use magic without getting in trouble Harry? I know that you're not seventeen yet." Hermione scoffed before answering the question herself.

"I hardly think that's the most important question you should have right now, but if you must know, Ronald, Harry was given special permission by the Ministry of Magic to do magic whenever he wants now. After all this time they finally figured out that Harry really is in a lot of danger and they did what they should have done a long time ago. He needs to be able to protect himself more than anyone else."

"Then why didn't you say anything to me about this?"

"I knew that you'd probably tell your parents and they'd tell the Order. I only want as few people as possible to know about this right now because I don't want to risk it getting to Voldemort. If he knows that I do magic whenever I want now he'll use it to his advantage, you know how he is. The only people who knew were Hermione, the Durselys, and Tonks after we got close."

"You told Tonks and not me? She's in the Order, she's one of the people that you didn't want to find out! How the hell could you do that to me?"

"If memory serves me, I believe I just told you to calm down." Ron quickly calmed down and Harry continued. "The reason I told Tonks was because I got to the point where I trust her as much as I do Hermione. I trust you too but, like I said, I was worried about you telling your parents. Besides, you never wrote to me, so I never had an opportunity to tell you." Ron opened his mouth to continue the argument before Hermione shot him down.

"Ron, just drop it ok. He didn't tell you, so get over it. He had no intention of telling Tonks, it was just something that happened and he told me because he was so excited about it and I was the first person he saw. There's no point in getting upset about it, it won't change anything and it's already done. Besides it wasn't done out of malice or because he doesn't trust you. So, why don't you just go on and ask the rest of your questions."

"Fine. Who did you expect was going to attack you and what did you do to alert you to my presence like that?"

"We weren't really expecting anyone in particular, we just thought it'd be best to set up some extra protection while we were staying here. The Blood Wards only keep out Voldemort, at least as far as we know, and there was no sense in relying on it alone if we could do more."

"Then why didn't you just come to headquarters?"

"Where the hell is headquarters now Ron? That's one of the few things that no one has told me. The only thing I know is that it's not still at Grimmauld Place. Besides, we have specific reasons for staying here. And to answer your other question, we found a spell that puts up a ward that essentially acts like a giant Sneakoscope. If anyone we don't know about or aren't expecting steps foot in the area we're instantly alerted to it."

"Never mind that right now. What other reasons could you have for not wanting to come to the Burrow? What other reason could you have for not coming to headquarters? Why would you not want to come to the place that could protect you almost as well as Hogwarts? At the very least you'd have the top members of the Order to protect you. Besides, you could spend time with me too, instead of staying cooped up here with just the Muggles for company."

"You want to know why we're still here Ron? Fine, I'll tell you. For starters, we're still protected better here than we would be at the Burrow, especially now that we've got this new ward up. Even though the Death Eaters can get in here, Voldemort can't, and that alone makes it safer than the Burrow. Furthermore, it's highly unlikely that Voldemort knows exactly where this place is.

"The only member of the Order who knows that I can freely use magic now is Dora, and I intend to keep it that way. I don't want the Order to know because I don't want to risk it getting back to Voldemort, as I already told you. The fewer people who know, the better. Furthermore, the two of us are learning new magic that would likely be frowned upon at the least by most in the Order. I expect that most of them will forbid us from continuing our studies too. Aside from that, we're, meaning Hermione and I, are going to live at Grimmauld Place after we leave here, not the Burrow. That's another reason that we're staying here for right now: it gives us more time together. And for your information, I'm perfectly happy just being with Hermione." As Harry finished his rant, which surprised even Hermione, Ron was looking between the two and realization quickly dawned on him.

"You two are together now, aren't you?"

"Wow, Ron, you actually noticed something," Hermione told him, only half joking.

"Hey, I can be very perceptive when I want to be." Harry snorted.

"Yeah, when you're playing chess."

"Damn right. I'm glad you're together though, you two work really well together. Ginny said that you probably were. I guess I owe her some money. But will you please let me go now? I promise you that I've calmed down." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded.

"Not yet. We have a few questions for you. We need to make sure that you aren't one of Voldemort's followers using Polyjuice Potion or something."

"I could be under the Imperius curse or Confunded too you know." Hermione gave a mirthless laugh before answering him.

"No, you couldn't. Aside from the fact that you just told us that, which is a dead giveaway, you're acting much too normal for either of those to be true. However, I do commend you for bringing to light that you could be Imperiused or Confunded; it shows that you're really thinking. But back on topic, what can we ask you that only Ron Weasley would know?" Unbeknownst to Hermione, Harry already had a question in mind for Ron.

"I've got one for him 'Mione. Ron, when did you, Fred, and George come over here, why did you come, and how did you get here?" Ron responded without a second's hesitation.

"We came to rescue you the summer after our first year because you hadn't answered any of my letters. You found out that Dobby had taken all the letters addressed to you to hopefully convince you not to come back to Hogwarts that year so you wouldn't be involved with the Chamber of Secrets. We came here using my dad's Flying Ford Anglia and used it to pull the bars off the window in your room. We used that same car to get to Hogwarts later that summer after Dobby sealed the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters." Satisfied with his answer, Harry waved his wand and the ropes binding Ron disappeared. Before he could move though, Hermione put her hand on his arm, forcibly keeping him on the couch.

"What are you doing here Ron? You randomly show up here and intrude on our time together. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see you, but you should have said something before you came out here and surprised us like this. Aside from the fact that you were nearly killed, Harry and I have just lost the little amount of alone time we have with each other. We've answered your questions, now you're going to answer ours." Ron was about to fire back at her when he noticed the look she was giving him, a look that he had never really seen before but that clearly told him to just answer her question.

"Look I'm really sorry Hermione. I didn't know you two had any alone time for me to intrude upon. And I know that I should've written before I came but I didn't have time. Mum kicked me out of the house tonight and I didn't even have time to pack any of my stuff. Before I left Ginny suggested that I come here, since she knew that Harry would likely be more than happy to let me stay here and grateful for the company."

"Why did your mum kick you out Ron? She loves all of her children and I can't see her kicking any of you out, no matter what horrible thing you may have done."

"…I'd rather not tell you Harry. It's nothing terrible, at least not compared to some of the other things I could have done, but I don't want you to think any less of me." As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry could guess what Ron had done that caused Mrs. Weasley to kick him out of the Burrow. He saw evidence of it before the end of the school year.

"Ron, first of all, unless you've killed someone in cold blood or raped someone, I won't think any less of you. Second of all, I've been experiencing with Legilimency in the past couple of weeks and I'm rather decent at it now. Ask Hermione if you don't believe me. I don't want to use it against you but I will if I feel like I have to." Ron hesitated for a long while, weighing his options, before he finally decided to tell Harry his biggest secret.

"Alright, I'll tell you. Ever since V-Voldemort came back I've thought that we need to fight fire with fire. Maybe not necessarily kill the Death Eaters but we need to use more powerful spells. I put it in the back of my mind though because I didn't want anyone to see me the same as them: heartless, cold-blooded murderers. After you used that spell against that huge blonde Death Eater and that obviously Dark spell against Dolohov I thought I could finally let people know about my desire to learn more about the Dark Arts, but it still seemed like no one wanted anything to do with them. I thought that at least you would start learning them yourself, Harry.

"When you showed no sign of it I decided to start studying them by myself. Mum found out about it and blew up. You know how she is about anything to do with the Dark Arts, even if it's for a good reason. She told me that using the Dark Arts makes us into the very thing we're trying to fight against but I don't agree. They're using them to kill and hurt people for their own selfish reasons, if they have a reason at all, while we'd be using them to protect people and make our society safe again. I don't take any pleasure in hurting anyone, but I damn sure take pleasure in knowing that they can't hurt me or anyone I care about anymore. Mum just can't understand that and she kicked me out for it. She's the only one who reacted that way though. Fred, George, and Ginny all seemed to understand my point and Dad, Bill, and Charlie didn't really seem to care very much."

Harry immediately understood Ron's hesitation to tell him. He couldn't easily forget that everyone started looking at him differently after he first used his spell against Dolohov. Even though he hadn't meant to use the spell people still treated him like a fallen idol. He hadn't asked to be put on a pedestal; everyone else had put him there. It was their problem and he shouldn't have to deal with the fact that people seem to think of his as the anti-Voldemort, the savior of their world who could do no wrong. Nevertheless, like Ron, he had to deal with people who would cast him out for getting involved with the Dark Arts. Unlike Ron, the vast majority of those people didn't matter to him.

"Ron, I'm going to tell you a secret of our own: we've been studying the Dark Arts too. The day I arrived back here I received an anonymous letter instructing me to broaden my magical knowledge and 'suggested' the Dark Arts. Before the day was over I had bought quite a few books on the different subjects of the Dark Arts from Knockturn Alley, not to mention a few on certain other branches of magic. When Hermione came here about a week ago she started learning this stuff too.

"Both of us ultimately came to the same conclusion that you did: the time for compassion against Voldemort and the Death Eaters is over. They won't hesitate to kill us so why should we hold back? I know that there will be some people who say that doing this makes us no better than them but in all honesty it doesn't really matter. What matters at the end of the day is that we defeat Voldemort. We both still agree that killing is wrong, at least the way Voldemort does it, but there's a difference between killing and letting someone die. We've decided that we can live with that and we're prepared for the way the rest of the Wizarding world may see us. They may see us as monsters but overall the Wizarding society is very similar to Hogwarts: if everything goes right then they'll say that they had faith in you the entire time and if it goes wrong then they say the same thing they've been saying all along.

"And Ron I want you to know that I guessed that you were studying the Dark Arts. The signs were there before we left Hogwarts. It didn't bother me then that you were into them and it doesn't bother me now. What did bother me was the way you acted about it and the fact that you didn't tell me. Ron, you were my first friend and you should know that I'm not going to toss you aside just because you're into the Dark Arts. However, you shouldn't have expected me to get into them too because I used one against Dolohov and another one against Thorfinn." Ron was so astonished that Harry and Hermione weren't shrinking away from him that all he could do was nod. He finally sat up from the couch and stretched his stiff muscles.

"By the way Ron, you said that you were hoping to stay here but where's your stuff at?" Hermione asked, clearly suspicious. "Your mum must have given you enough time to pack at least some of your clothes." Ron shifted nervously under her gaze.

"Well not really, but I did still get a few things. Ginny packed them for me after I left and gave them to me. I had the bag with me when Harry Stunned me and I guess you just didn't see it. I'll go get it." He tried to go outside but Hermione stopped him; clearly she wasn't finished grilling him yet.

"Another thing before you go: if you were coming here to have a place to stay for a while then why didn't you just come up to the door? What did you think was going to happen?" Normally Ron would take offense at this but this Hermione was different. She actually scared Ron.

"Honestly I was on my way to the door when I saw you two come out with your wands drawn. I knew it probably wouldn't be a good idea to approach you at the time so I decided the best thing I could do would be to wait for a while until you two had calmed down and then act like I had just arrived. I didn't plan on hiding either but then you started searching the house and I got worried. I thought that you might be paranoid and attack me. It seems I was right too, but it thankfully wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Can I go get my stuff now?"

"Not yet, I still have one more question for you. We're your friends and you're supposed to be really into the Dark Arts now, so why are you acting so timid all of the sudden? You were never really like this before and it seems like you'd be even less so now, so what happened?" Ron did take offense at her words this time and his face showed it. Not even thinking or caring about his actions he blew up at Hermione.

"You want to know why I'm like this? I was just attacked, tied up, and interrogated by the two people who are supposed to be my best friends! I came here for help and a place to stay for a while and I get treated like an enemy! And in case you've forgotten, my mum threw me out of her house just over an hour ago and I'm still in shock from that!" This outburst shocked Harry, who hadn't expected Ron to react this way. As much as he didn't like his friend yelling at his girlfriend, he did understand Ron's feelings. Unfortunately, Hermione wasn't as understanding and Harry's calming hand on her back was the only thing that kept her from hexing Ron Weasley into oblivion. Despite the reasons Ron gave them though, Harry knew that he was keeping something from them and he wanted to know what it was.

"What's the other reason Ron?" The red-headed teen looked at him in surprise, clearly not expecting Harry to notice anything. "I know there's something else that you're not telling us and I want to know what it is. If you're going to stay here then we need to know why you're so upset." Ron could hear the sincerity in Harry's voice and knew he could tell them. Nevertheless he still hesitated for almost a minute before saying anything.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I'm scared of you both now. I think it's obvious with Hermione. She's changed and it scares the bloody hell out of me. You scare me too Harry but it's more subtle. I don't really know that you scare me until you do something specific and then it all hits me at once. It's almost like a train: you know it's coming but you don't really think about it until it's there." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and burst out laughing. "What the fuck is so funny?"

"Ron, all that's changed about us is that we're more confident and we're more prepared to use force. That really scares you?"

"Hell yeah it does! You being more confident doesn't scare me, it's that second one that bothers me. You've already proven that if I go too far that you're willing to take action. I don't think that's just from studying the Dark Arts." Both Harry and Hermione's face darkened at Ron's words.

"You're right, there's much more to it: the Dursleys. Vernon and Dudley tried to kill me about a week ago before Hermione saved me. Then Dudley threatened to kill her and I punished him for it. Of course the entire time Petunia was down here acting like nothing was happening. Later that night she told us that the reason that she hates magic, and more specifically me, is all because of jealousy. She was jealous that my mum could do magic and she couldn't so she masked that jealousy with anger and hatred. If it wasn't for Hermione I likely would've killed all three of them that night." As Harry finished Hermione wound her arm through his and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Right now Harry has Dudley under the Imperius Curse," she told Ron, picking up the story for Harry, "and through him we're controlling Vernon and Petunia. If they attempt to make Harry do anything for them or try to put either of us down, Dudley is always within earshot. We haven't had to actually do anything yet, since they're both very cooperative when their Ickle Diddykins is being threatened, but we're more than willing to make full use of the curse if it comes to that. The best thing about it is that we're giving them a small taste of what they put Harry through over the years."

To say that Ron Weasley was angry was an understatement. He couldn't believe that these _people_, who were supposed to be Harry's family, tried to kill him and threatened to kill Hermione. He wanted nothing more than to practice some of the spells he had been practicing on them, particularly the Cruciatus Curse, but he knew that Harry wouldn't want them tortured for something that happened a week ago. Besides, the idea to put their precious son under Harry's complete and total power was genius and Ron was very enthusiastic about the possibilities it could bring. With a sadistic smile adorning his freckled face, he finally made his way outside to pick up his bag of clothes.

The last few days of June passed quickly for the trio. They were enjoying their time together and used the freedom they had to delve further into the Dark Arts. Now that they were all able to do magic and had no restrictions placed upon them they were constantly dueling each other, trying to prove who the best was. It wasn't unusual for them to wake each other up with random duels, usually instigated by Ron. Of course, neither Hermione nor Ron were able to defeat Harry, even if they caught him off guard. The two of them weren't really able to defeat each other either, as thus far all of their duels had ended in a stalemate.

Now that they didn't have to worry about the Dursleys, they were all quite at peace in the house, even Harry, and their demeanor showed it. They made sure to enjoy the time they had together as teenagers, despite their eagerness to learn more about the Dark Arts and develop a more equal playing field against Voldemort. They spent hours together playing games, both Muggle and Magic, and Harry and Hermione introduced Ron to the television, something that he was absolutely amazed by. They also had a lot of fun at the Dursleys' expense, going to great lengths to cause trouble for the Muggle family. They never actually hurt them, after all that would be crossing a line, but they had no qualms about letting them think that they were going to be hurt. Psychological warfare goes a long way, as they had all learned over the past several years.

Though Harry and Hermione were at first skeptical that Ron would give them the alone time they wanted, their worries were soon put to rest as he made sure that they had plenty of time together. His first night there, Ron made it very clear that he was going to sleep on the couch and let Harry and Hermione continue sharing Harry's bed. He also made sure that the two had at least an hour to themselves every day and he always seemed to vanish when they started venturing into romantic waters around him. They were small gestures, but Harry and Hermione were certainly pleased by them. They were both slightly worried at how Ron would take the news that they were together, since they knew that Ron at one point had feelings for Hermione, but they apparently had nothing to worry about.

All in all, the three of them had a very nice set up in their little "home." They were better protected against Voldemort and his followers than any of them ever had been away from Hogwarts and for the first time they were free from the overprotective eyes of authority. They now had the final say on what they did and when they did it instead of having someone else ultimately decide for them. They were all reveling in their newfound freedom, especially since they knew it probably wouldn't last much longer. The members of the Order who frequently visited them were also rather pleased with their newly placed security. Indeed, Mad-Eye and Kingsley both commended them for their use of such a high-level spell, both mysteriously commenting that "the time will soon be here." What this "time" was, none of the three teens knew, but they reasoned that it probably didn't concern them. Amidst all the happiness though, there was one person who wasn't exactly thrilled by their new security, a person who was now forced to watch the house from even further away than usual. A person who no one else knew about yet.

"You're making it difficult for me to help you, Mr. Potter. I can only be effective within a certain radius and your ingenious new protection is making that almost impossible. Nevertheless, I tip my hat to both you and Ms. Granger, or I would if I had one." The mysterious shadowy figure tipped their invisible hat to the aforementioned teens that didn't know of their existence. "Fortunately for all of us, you won't have to put up with this anymore soon enough. Your books and your willingness to learn are turning the tide of this war, more than anyone can know. Voldemort, I hope for your sake that you do not continue to underestimate Mr. Potter here; actually that's a lie, for I hope the boy finally ends this world of your existence." From their spot in the shadows, the figure continued to watch Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they dueled each other, causing Vernon and Petunia Dursley to flee from the house in terror, dragging with them an oblivious Dudley.

**Author's Note: Ok, I know that the reason that Ron was there was probably somewhat of a letdown to some of you and I apologize. This chapter was originally going to be longer than just that night and a few days afterwards but I was about 3,000 words into the conversation before I realized it and I decided that I needed to put some of the stuff that was going to be in this chapter in the next one instead. Ron will have a crowning moment in the next chapter though, and we **_**may**_** see the Dursleys finally get the treatment they've deserved since the first book.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I'm back baby! Sorry it's been so long guys. Between job changes and personal issues it's been tough finding time to write anything. Now that I have a steady job and time to actually write I should have updates at much more reasonable times. I also want to take time right now to make respond to several reviews made by the same person. While I enjoy constructive criticism and feedback, I will not put up with someone completely blasting my writing and my story simply because they don't agree with it. At the risk of sounding like an asshole, I also don't appreciate someone putting down one of my characters, in this case Hermione, simply because said character is different from their own expectations. I just wanted to throw that out there. So enough of my rant and onto the good stuff.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from this.**

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><p><strong>Seek and Destroy<strong>

A week into July Harry got some of the best news of his life. He had been informed by Mad-Eye that the Order would be coming to escort him to the Burrow in a week's time, a statement later confirmed by Tonks. It compared with only three other things: learning that he would be going to Hogwarts and finally being able to escape from the Dursleys for most of the year, finding out that Sirius was his godfather, and being in a relationship with Hermione. He wasted no time in telling the Dursleys the news, pleased that he would finally be rid of them for good. Oddly enough, the Dursleys were completely emotionless when he told him; he was expecting them to be ecstatic that they finally wouldn't have to put up with him anymore.

Harry had no time to contemplate this however. It was actually probably more accurate to say that he wasn't taking time to contemplate this as he was no longer concerned with the Dursleys. Even if they weren't happy that he was leaving he saw no reason that he shouldn't be. He refused to let them control his life anymore, an attitude that had started when he returned home for the summer and had only grown in the following weeks. After the death of Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter decided that no one was going to push him around ever again, something that the Dursleys and to a lesser extent the Order of the Phoenix were learning.

Upon receiving this news, the glorious news that he would never have to see his miserable excuse for a family again, both Harry and Hermione decided that it was a cause for celebration. Despite being together for almost a month, the two of them hadn't been on an actual date yet and they both saw this as the perfect opportunity for just such an event. They astonished each other with their state of dress; both had seen the other dressed up at the Yule Ball, but they hadn't seen each other in casual dress clothes. Hermione was wearing a plain summer dress, something that no one who knew her ever expected to see her in. Harry had on a collared shirt similar to the one he wore when he ate with her family and khakis, a sight that was unexpected for him. They looked exactly the part of two Muggle teenagers going on a date; no one would ever suspect that they were anything otherwise.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked Ron as he and Hermione were walking for the door.

"Hmm?" Ron asked absentmindedly. "Oh, no, that's alright." He looked up from the book he had his nose buried in. "You two go on and have a great time." He grinned at them before delving back into his book. Harry and Hermione were shocked; neither of them had known Ron Weasley to pass up a chance to eat just so he could read a book.

"Um, Ron, are you okay?" Hermione inquired as she edged closer to him.

"Yes Hermione I'm fine." Ron told her, slightly chuckling. "I just think that you two deserve to go on an actual date, alone. Besides, this is really interesting stuff. I never knew that Dark magic ran so deep and was so extensive. I always thought it was simply attacking other people." Hermione looked back at Harry who shrugged and motioned for her to come with him, leaving Ron to his book. They walked to the edge of the driveway before Disapparating with a barely noticeable pop. From the house, Ron watched them until he was sure that they were definitely gone. With a sadistic smile he closed the blinds, drew the curtains shut, and began stalking the house looking for the Dursleys.

It wasn't long before Ron had brought all the Dursleys together in the sitting room. None of them really knew anything about this redheaded freak other than the fact that he was friends with the other two freaks but they were still frightened of him. Vernon and Petunia were frightened of him at least; Dudley couldn't be afraid as he was still under Harry's control and had no way of being afraid. Ron's grin turned feral as he watched the Dursleys slink ever closer together. He knew that Harry was too noble to actually do anything to them in vengeance but he truly believed that someone needed to reprimand them. At the present moment that someone happened to be him, and he was more than happy to be the one playing the role of executioner.

"You know, in his first year Harry came face to face with Voldemort and didn't flinch. His second year he risked his life against a Basilisk, a fifty-foot poisonous snake that can kill just by looking at someone, and it didn't faze him. Third year he faced a man who we all thought was a vicious killer and he actually made said 'killer' worried about his own life. Fourth year he faced Voldemort again. Fifth year he led us to the Department of Mysteries where we faced twelve Death Eaters before Voldemort showed up yet again and tried to possess Harry. Last year we faced Death Eaters in Hogwarts and Harry was probably the biggest reason that they fled as fast as they did. Fifteen Death Eaters were afraid of a teenager.

"Despite all that's happened to him, he's never once showed any fear. Never once has he shown any indication that he was worried about anything. Yet every time he has to come back here you can see the fear in his eyes. Every time he comes back here he's terrified that something terrible is going to happen to him at your hands. Think about that: not at Voldemort's hands, not at the hands of any of those who specifically want him dead, but at your hands. So what does that tell you?" Vernon immediately opened his mouth to dispute everything that had just been said but Ron quickly Silenced him. "I'll tell you what it should tell you: you treat him like less than a human, like a slave, like someone or something whose life is beneath you. Harry doesn't deserve this, hell no one deserves this, but with everything Harry's been through he shouldn't have to deal with this at all.

"Now the only thing that's saved you all these years is that Harry is not the type of person to take revenge, no matter what happens. Even after Bellatrix Lestrange killed his godfather, his only family in his eyes, he still couldn't bring himself to kill her. You all deserve to be severely punished for what you've done but he still won't do anything. That doesn't mean that I won't do anything though. I have no reason to hold back from inflicting as much harm as I possibly can at this po-I'd stay down if I were you, Vernon." As Vernon rose to his feet, intending to do to Ron what he had already done to Harry, Ron quickly bound him to the couch. Deciding to be safe, he bound Petunia as well.

"There, that's better. Now as I was saying, I have no reason to hold back. And the two of you will prove very useful for testing my newly discovered spells. I've discovered some Dark spells that aren't very well known and unfortunately I can't really use them on an animated opponent. Since I have the two, I guess technically three, of you here at my mercy, I think we can overcome the problem of you being able to move around." As Ron said this, he turned Petunia around so that her back, and her exposed hands, were facing him.

"I've heard that one of the best ways to torture someone is by their fingers, whether it be cutting them or pulling out their fingernails. The best way I've discovered yet though is to shove something under the person's fingernails. What's even better is that I've discovered a spell that makes the victim feel this pain and I'm going to practice it on you." Taking her forefinger, which was difficult since she was struggling so much, Ron muttered the incantation for the curse and jabbed his wand at Petunia like he was trying to shove the wand itself under her fingernail. He gave yet another sadistic smile when Petunia's scream filled the house. He did the same thing to her other fingers, forcing Vernon to continue to watch and hear his wife's torture.

When he finished with Petunia, Ron moved to Vernon and put him through the same torture. He debated with doing the same thing to Dudley but in the end decided against it, reasoning that being under the Imperius curse was enough of a torture. After letting the two adults rest for only a few minutes he subjected them to the same torture. He repeated this for over an hour, giving them less and less time in between torture sessions. He never expected to derive this much pleasure from the act but he could only conclude that finally being able to pay back the people who had made his best friend's life miserable was the cause of said pleasure. When he finally finished with his torture he didn't even bother threatening them to stay silent, knowing that Harry likely wouldn't believe them and if he did he wouldn't care too much.

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><p>For the next week the Dursleys didn't even acknowledge the existence of the three teens, a change that Harry especially found very satisfying. Neither Vernon nor Petunia were really the same after the torture they had endured. Of course neither of them had said anything about it, willing to pretend that it didn't happen so they wouldn't have to relive the shame of being put through something like that, especially by a freak. They couldn't wait to be rid of all three of the freaks for good, something they knew was going to happen very soon. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were on the same wavelength as the Dursleys; they were spending a lot of their time lately packing and repacking, wanting to make sure that they didn't leave anything behind.<p>

A couple of days before they left Hermione got some excellent news in the form of her first letter from her family. It wasn't very long, informing her that they had arrived safely and that someone had helped them with their belongings, but it assured her that they were safe. The happiness she felt knowing that she didn't have to worry about her family anymore shone off her, and Harry and Ron couldn't help but share that same happiness. To celebrate the three of them had a small party at the expense of the Dursleys, something that didn't sit well with the Muggles. However, despite their anger at this, they of course did nothing about it, still much too terrified to even attempt to stand up to the three teens.

The festivities didn't last very long however before the three friends were interrupted. In the middle of eating the cake that they had made, Harry and Hermione were alerted to multiple people breaching the wards they had put up. Without a seconds hesitation, the party was immediately forgotten and the teens were all sprinting to the door, prepared to do whatever was necessary to ensure their survival. Their paranoia was unfounded however as Tonks and Mad-Eye walked through the door, followed quickly by the twins, Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Bill Weasley, Fleur Delacour, Hagrid, and Mundungus Fletcher. After several questions to prove that the eleven people standing before them were indeed members of the Order, the plan to safely transport Harry from the Dursleys' was quickly revealed. The idea was that six of the members were to take Polyjuice Potion to transform into Harry and be transported, by Portkey, to the Burrow.

All the members of the Order expected Harry to viciously deny this plan, saying that he didn't want anyone to put themselves in harm's way for him; therefore they all (except Tonks of course) were shocked when he told them: "Thanks but I don't really need that. I'm able to do magic whenever I want now, as decreed by the Minister himself, and I'm able to Disapparate quite well. Plus the three of us have been practicing magic all summer and we're able to defend ourselves well enough from the Death Eaters. I am thankful for you all coming here to help me though. It really does mean a lot knowing that you all are that concerned for my safety. However, before we go there's something I have to do." Having said that, Harry turned and called for the other three inhabitants of the house to come into the sitting room. When the Dursleys were all situated, Harry spoke to them, releasing Dudley from the Imperius Curse.

"I have nothing more to say to any of you. You all know that you've treated me absolutely terrible, especially earlier this summer when you tried to kill me. Despite all of it, I want you to know that I don't hate any of you. I do want you to suffer as I have though." As he said this, a primal grin spread across his face. "I've always wanted to practice the spell I've been developing and this is the perfect time to do that." Just as Harry raised his wand, he and Hermione were alerted, yet again, to the presence of many intruders upon their safe house. With little more than a significant glance to Ron the three of them went outside without a word to the Order, leaving the Dursleys where they were for the time being.

They had barely stepped outside when a streak of orange flew past Ron's ear. Ron heard someone yell something about "the redhead" before a green light that was all too familiar was sent towards him. It hit a trashcan that was sent into its path by Hermione, which promptly exploded in a shower of sparks. A second later two of the Death Eaters were incapacitated, one by a blue light from Harry that sent him forcefully flying backwards and one by a purple light from Ron that caused his own Killing Curse to backfire on him. This was quickly followed by a spell from Hermione which incapacitated yet another Death Eater, making the two sides even.

What followed in the next few minutes was a heated battle between the Trio and the three remaining Death Eaters. The Death Eaters had already realized that the three teens weren't to be taken lightly and had quickly ducked behind various trees and bushes, while the Trio used objects around the house for cover. As the battle raged outside, the Order, who had finally gotten over their shock of hearing that Harry didn't need them and that he was planning on hurting his relatives, made their way outside to help the three teens. It shocked them even more when they had barely stepped out of the house and the battle ended. A chorus of "_Interia_," "_Verbera_," and "_Stupify_" reached their ears as the remaining three Death Eaters were incapacitated. The Order could do little more than stare in amazement as Harry, Hermione, and Ron emerged from their cover.

"Well I think it's best if we go on our way before more Death Eaters show up," Harry said, breaking the silence. "Voldemort's lost one of his followers tonight and he's sure to be pissed about it. There's no point in staying here and risking him coming to kill us all." As he said this he pushed past the Order into the house, quickly gathering his things. Hermione and Ron followed his example and the three of them simultaneously Disapparated to the Burrow after sending their belongings ahead of them, leaving behind ten very confused Order members, one pink-haired witch who was inwardly smiling to herself, three scared yet relieved Dursleys, and one dark figure in the shadows who was quickly forming plans for the three Muggles.

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><p>Lord Voldemort was sitting on his throne, watching Draco Malfoy continue with his training, when two of his loyal Death Eaters came into the room. The first one he noticed was Yaxley, who he actually rather liked. The other one was a new addition to the Death Eaters, brought in to replace the three they had lost in the recent battle at Hogwarts. Voldemort didn't remember the man's name, it was something like Sadin or Suldur, but thus far the Dark Lord was less than thrilled by this new recruit. He showed a severe lack of promise, something that Lord Voldemort would not accept. All of his Death Eaters had to prove that they had the capability of being able to fight at his side without being a burden to him. So far this Sadin or Suldur or whoever he was wasn't proving that he could do that. Lost in his own thoughts, Voldemort barely noticed the Death Eaters bowing before him. Quickly shaking his head to get himself back on track, he recognized their presence.<p>

"Speak, Yaxley. How did the mission go? I trust that they were able to kill at least one of Potter's friends." Yaxley took a deep breath before addressing his master.

"My Lord, I regret to tell you that, not only did they fail to kill neither the Mudblood nor the Blood Traitor, all six of them were defeated. We also lost Wilkes when that Weasley Blood Traitor used a spell that caused Wilkes' own Killing Curse to backfire on him. My Lord, the three of them used spells that they had never seen before and were not in any way prepared for." Voldemort's eyes flashed red when he heard this news, a sure sign that someone in the room was likely to die. As angry as he was for Rookwood telling him this, he couldn't kill him. He couldn't afford to lose any more of his veteran Death Eaters, especially now that Harry Potter and his friends were getting much more powerful. Besides, Rookwood was only the messenger; he himself wasn't at the battle. Fortunately for the Dark Lord, a target was about to present itself for him to kill.

"If you really were as powerful as everyone claims to be then you'd be out there yourself trying to kill Potter, not having us doing your dirty work for you. I almost died in that attack because you're too scared to face Potter yourself." Yaxley's head quickly snapped to his left while Voldemort slowly turned to look at this corpse that didn't know he was dead. The look he was giving this young man made him cringe and shrink away, instantly regretting his words.

"You think that Lord Voldemort is a coward? I fear no one. There are none still alive who can equal my strength. I have pushed the limits of magic farther than anyone else ever has and I will not be called a coward!" The young man had no time to blink before Voldemort had drawn his wand and uttered two of the most dangerous words a Witch or Wizard could hear: _Avada Kevadra_. One of Voldemort's newest Death Eaters lay dead on the floor, his former master standing over him with absolutely no remorse.

"Draco, continue your training," Voldemort told the blonde teen as he stepped over the body at his feet. "There are matters I must discuss with Yaxley." Leaving his protégé to his training, Voldemort and Yaxley began walking out the room. "So the Muggles lied to us then?"

"I don't think so my lord. I don't think they were aware of the boy's powers. It was something that he kept hidden from almost everyone; I don't think he wanted to chance it getting back to you. You have to admit that he is rather intelligent for his age." Voldemort looked at his follower.

"I admit nothing, Yaxley. He is nothing but a boy who is exceedingly lucky. He may be extremely powerful but he has yet to realize what true power is." Not wanting to further anger his master, Yaxley quickly changed the subject.

"So what would you have us do with the Muggles then, my lord?"

"Kill them. Like all Muggles, they need to be exterminated. Besides, they betrayed their own flesh and blood. Even if it was Potter that they betrayed, I will not allow someone who sold out their own family go unpunished." No matter what he might tell himself or others, Voldemort could never forget that his father abandoned him and his mother before he was even born. He wouldn't let anyone else do that without severely punishing them, if only to satisfy his own need for vengeance. "Send one of the new recruits or go yourself. I don't care either way as long as those Muggles are dead in an hour." Yaxley nodded his understanding before walking outside the Malfoys' mansion and Disapparating to Number 4 Privet Drive.

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><p>Safely hidden in the shadows of Privet Drive, a dark figure watched the Dursleys. It seemed that the three Muggles couldn't believe that Harry Potter and his freak friends had finally left their life for good. The figure was sure that if they knew how much danger they were in they wouldn't be so quick to celebrate the fact that they were now, in their own words, "freak-free." It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Lord Voldemort might try to take them hostage in an attempt to lure Harry to him. In most cases that would be true anyway; in this case the danger arose not from Voldemort but from the very person watching them.<p>

The person had known for quite some time that the Dursleys had been feeding information concerning Harry to Voldemort. They were quite sure that this information would be of little to no use to the Dark Lord, since the Dursleys had no idea what they were talking about, but the fact that they were willing to betray a member of their own family made this person sick to their stomach. They were fully intending to make the Dursleys pay for their betrayal when a Death Eater appeared out of nowhere in front of them. The figure quickly identified the follower of Voldemort as Yaxley due to his long blonde hair. Before he could take one step though, the figure had Stunned Yaxley and placed him in a sitting position at the truck of a nearby tree. They didn't want to kill anyone, that job was reserved for those who were actively involved in the war, but they couldn't let the Death Eater rob them of their chance to finally give the Dursleys all that they deserved. The figure made their way to the Dursleys' household and blew open the door, making all three Muggles jump. Vernon Dursley rushed to the door and came face to face with a hooded robed figure.

"Who-who are you?!" Vernon asked as Dudley came waddling into the hallway. "I demand that you leave this house at once!" Neither of them could do or say anything more before they were forced into the sitting room and onto the couch with Petunia. The figure conjured ropes from nothing and bound the three Muggles. "Who are you?" Vernon asked again, trying to sound as menacing as he could. In response, the figure pulled off their hood and dropped their robes to the floor.

In front of the Dursleys stood a man who was quite tall. He had unruly black hair that fell past his shoulders. His emerald green eyes were set behind a pair of glasses. He wore all black and had several tattoos covering his arms. His ears were pierced and looked like they had been multiple times. It didn't take anyone long to come to the conclusion that this man looked like an older version of...

"Potter! What are you doing back here boy?! And what the bloody hell happened to you?! All of a sudden you have hair like an ingrate, earrings, and tattoos?! Your freak friends are having an even worse influence on you than I thought." In response to this, the figure just gave Vernon a slightly feral grin before Silencing him with a quick flick of his wand.

"If you'd keep your mouth shut for once Dursley you might learn something. For starters, I am not Harry Potter, despite my almost identical appearance to him. My name isn't important, since you won't remember it after I leave here, but you can call me Shadow. The only thing you really need to know is that it's been my job since the end of June to watch over Mr. Potter and to intervene if I felt he needed it. I've watched all that you've done to him in these past six weeks and I know all that you've done to him over the years. I promised myself that I'd make sure to pay you back one day and that day is now.

"You see, the wizarding world is on the brink of destruction because of Lord Voldemort. Now that Albus Dumbledore is dead our best hope is Harry Potter, the very boy you've been mistreating all these years. If we lose him then we've lost everything; there's no hope for anyone anymore, Muggles and magic folk alike. The funny thing is that the boy you've been mistreating is the same boy who's basically saving your life. If he wasn't here then it's likely the three of you would have been killed by the Dark Lord a long time ago.

"So Harry Potter is the reason that the three of you are still alive and how do you repay him? You sell information to the very person who's tried to kill him since he was a baby. Yes, I know what you've been doing; I've been keeping tabs on you since young Mr. Potter has returned home. It astounded me that you're willing to do that to family. You may not like each other but you don't sell out people who share the same blood that you do. The ironic thing is that, even though you helped him out, Lord Voldemort hates anyone who sold their family. It reminds him of what his father did to his mother. You thought that you were saving yourself and yet all it did was ensure your deaths. In fact, I'm the only reason that you're not dead yet; just before I came in, I knocked out one of Voldemort's followers who had come to kill you.

"Even though you deserve death, I'm not here to kill you. There are things that are worse than death, as I've learned over the years. Being tortured into insanity is one of those things. Even worse than that is watching your loved ones suffer the same fate before you finally succumb to your own insanity. I've done this many times before and I'll probably have to do it again. My reason for being put on this Earth is to protect others and I will kill if need be. But it's not your time to go yet, so I can't kill you no matter how much I may want to. Be that as it may, there's no reason I can't cause the three of you to lose your minds, starting with your precious son."

Without giving them any time to protest or plead, Shadow pointed his wand at Dudley and wordlessly began using the Cruciatus Curse on him. Vernon and Petunia could only watch on helplessly as their only son screamed out for help, begging this person to let him go. They looked on in horror as Dudley was quickly tortured into insanity. Without any respite, Petunia and then Vernon were soon in the same state as their son; in a matter of a few short moments all three Dursleys lay in a heap on the floor, not comprehending any of their surroundings. With a quick wave of his wand Shadow released the three Muggles of their bindings. Pleased with his work, he put on his robe and Disapparated to the Burrow.

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><p>Yaxley groaned as he regained consciousness. Collapsing onto the ground was never painless, despite the current mental state of the person. His entire right side was in pain and he bit his tongue to keep quiet as he made his way to his feet. He had no way of knowing who it was that hit him with the Stunning Spell but it seemed that whoever it was wasn't an enemy. He reasoned that if they were they most likely would have done much more than just Stun him. At the very least he thought that they would take him with them instead of just leaving him propped up against a tree. Still, he was curious as to why he had been on the receiving end of the spell, but it was highly likely that he would never know.<p>

Undeterred, and pushing the thought out of his head for the time being, he made his way to the house of the Muggle scum that the Dark Lord wanted dead. As he approached he realized that something wasn't quite right. Just minutes ago the house had been lit up and locked up tight. Now there was only one light coming from the sitting room and the front door was wide open, almost as if someone was waiting for him. He drew his wand and crept cautiously inside, poised to defend himself from an attack.

Upon reaching the sitting room he realized why the door was open and the lights were off: there was no need for either anymore. The three Muggles lay on the ground, staring blankly at the wall. They didn't even acknowledge his presence as he walked into the room. He had seen this once before, when Frank and Alice Longbottom had been tortured into insanity. The only logical conclusion was that these three had met the same fate as the two former Aurors. Yaxley knew that there was no reason to kill them now, a thought that made him angry at being denied this pleasure, but there was absolutely no way that he was going to let his master down. With three movements of his wand and six words, the world was finally rid of the family of Muggles known as the Dursleys. He walked outside and, pointing his wand at the sky, yelled out "_Morsmordre_!" before turning on the spot and Disapparating with a pop.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: As an apology for taking this hiatus I have a poll on my return. This has nothing at all to do with the plot. I originally had planned to raise the rating in six chapters but I want to know how everyone feels about it. So my poll is very simple: should I raise the rating or should I leave it as is? I should point out that the chapter will actually include something that's worthy of the higher rating.<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's notes: I've had several comments about Shadow and I want to clear up one thing: he is not James Potter nor is he Harry from the future. I'll reveal who he really is and why he looks so much like Harry later in the story. Until then I'll keep giving subtle hints. I'm glad the character is well received though.**

**iitrnr: There are three reasons that Harry didn't use a disguise or bring his cloak. First of all he knows that it's highly unlikely that Voldemort is hiding around a corner in Knockturn Alley. Second of all he doesn't have a reason to be there so why would Voldemort have any roving Death squads looking for him there of all places? Finally, as I pointed out in chapter 2, Harry can use the Disillusionment Charm now so why would he bring a cloak that he may not need when he can use a spell to do the same thing if he gets into trouble? As for chapter 6, even though I didn't specifically say it, time did pass between Vernon getting knocked out and waking back up. And even though Harry may be good at dodging Bludgers, he's not Superman. He can't see out of the back of his head. Besides, when you're focused on something else, as he was on torturing Vernon, you tend to block out your surroundings. I know I do at least.**

**Katconan: Harry doesn't use the Cruciatus Curse because that would be transcending the line into evil. One of the major themes of this story is good vs. evil and how someone can still be a good person but still fight fire with fire. In this case, using the Cruciatus Curse because the Dursleys are merely insulting them isn't a good reason to Harry or Hermione. They can justify using the Imperius Curse because they're not forcing Dudley to do anything terrible. And yes, Snape made the Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore but only if Malfoy **_**couldn't**_** do it. While he didn't actually do it, it was never stated that he **_**couldn't**_** do it, only that Lucius Malfoy did it before his son could.**

**nut4golf: Malfoy would be allowed back to Hogwarts if everyone thought he was innocent. At this point, everyone believes him to be a boy who was forced to do what he did by Voldemort. Besides, there are influential people high up in the government who have plenty of pull to get him back in. Trust me, I have a way to get him back in that will make sense. This time Hermione wasn't mad out of jealousy, she was mad because she didn't believe that Ginny was being the girlfriend that Harry deserved. Instead of waiting up for to make sure that he was alright, she went on to bed that night. Hermione could tell a difference even if Harry couldn't and it angered her. She wanted Harry to be happy, even if it wasn't with her. As the reader you know that Harry can do magic whenever he wants but the Order doesn't. The only member who does is Tonks and she hasn't said anything. The Order still thinks that he needs to be rescued.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money off this. **

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><p><strong>No Matter What<strong>

_"If there is evil in this world it lurks in the hearts of men."_

To say that Molly Weasley was confused would be an understatement. Bags that she knew belonged to Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and for some reason her youngest son had just suddenly appeared in her sitting room, along with Harry's owl Hedwig. The last she had heard was that there were going to be seven Harrys and that they were all going to arrive via portkey with a different member of the Order acting as their protector. She had no idea what was going on but she was very worried. At least she was until the three people in question Apparated directly into her kitchen. The Weasley matriarch gave a shriek before rushing into the kitchen, her wand at the ready. Ginny quickly followed behind her mother, her own wand out.

"Sorry about that Mrs. Weasley," Harry began. "We thought it'd be best to Apparate directly into the house. You never know when there might be a Muggle out for a midnight stroll, even out here." Mrs. Weasley didn't acknowledge his comment and showed no sign of pleasure in seeing any of them.

"What happened? Where's everyone else?!" she demanded of the three teens. "There were supposed to be seven of you coming here by portkey with a guard for each of you. Something happened, I just know it. So tell me: where is everyone else?!" Her last question came out as more of a scream than a question and all four of the others in the room winced at the volume of her voice.

"Relax, Mum," Ron replied when he had recovered from her screaming attack. "They'll be here as soon as they get over the shock of three seventeen-year-olds effortlessly defeating six Death Eaters. So they should be here any second now." No sooner had the words left his mouth than they all began hearing faint pops in the yard announcing the arrival of the Order members who had just Disapparated from the Dursleys'. Abandoning the four teens and her curiosity in the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley ran out into the yard to make sure her husband and three of her sons were indeed unharmed. Harry, Hermione, and Ron made themselves comfortable while Ginny followed her mother outside after them an incredible look. The group that quickly congregated in the kitchen was looking at the three teens with a similar look as Ginny, with the exception of a certain pink haired witch who was doing her best not to smile.

"What the fuck was that, Harry?" Remus demanded of the teen.

"What the fuck was what, Remus?" Harry replied. He knew perfectly well what the older man meant but he wasn't going to just hand him the answer.

"You know exactly what I mean. You can use magic whenever you want to now apparently, which you neglected to tell us about, and you're using Dark magic. What the bloody hell are you-"

"Hold on Remus," Mrs. Weasley interjected. "Are you saying that Harry and Hermione were using Dark magic as well?" At Remus' word of agreement, she immediately rounded on her son, preparing to blame him for taking Harry and Hermione down this dark road before Harry spoke up in defense of his friend.

"Ron had nothing to do with this Mrs. Weasley. We were already studying the Dark Arts before he showed up." Mrs. Weasley's eyes widened in shock for only a moment before she turned her attention back to Harry and Hermione.

"What are you two thinking?! The Dark Arts are extremely dangerous! I don't know why you two think this is such a good idea! There's a reason it's called the 'Dark Arts!'" As Mrs. Weasley continued on with her rant Hermione began to yawn, partly from boredom and partly to be sarcastic, while Harry sung an Ozzy song in his head, randomly bobbing his head in time to the imaginary music. On the other side of the table, Ron buttered a biscuit leftover from dinner and started eating as he sat back and watched Harry and Hermione get a similar lecture to the one he had gotten several weeks ago. "...and this makes you just as bad as You-Know-Who!" Mrs. Weasley finished. Everyone remained silent until Hermione spoke up.

"Mrs. Weasley, while we do appreciate your concern for us, Ron and I are of age and Harry will be in less than a month. We can make our own decisions. We've all thought about this and we're prepared to face whatever consequences we may have. Furthermore, the 'Dark Arts,' as everyone calls them, is just a name. The name, the nature of the spells, and the type of people who tend to use the spells have given them a bad name, but it's just a name. The magic itself isn't evil. Magic alone cannot be good or evil; people can be, and that's what matters. We don't use the Dark Arts because we like them or we like to hurt people, we use them because we've all come to the same conclusion: that it's time to stop bringing knives to this gunfight, to use a Muggle phrase, and fight the Death Eaters on equal terms. You may be right and we may end up just as bad as Voldemort eventually, but I don't think we will. Besides, Dumbledore used the Dark Arts in the past and he was supposed to be the anti-Voldemort. No one thinks any less of him.

Mrs. Weasley was at a loss for words, a rare occurrence to be sure. She had always seen Hermione as another daughter and as someone who she knew would never talk back to her. While she still saw her as a daughter, she had to admit that the person in front of her was a grown woman and not a little girl anymore. She also had to admit that Harry and Ron were grown men and while she may not agree with them, they were free to do as they wished. The three of them had seen more in their young lives than most of the other people in the room and she knew, however reluctantly, that they were right in their assessment. Without a word she turned and left the kitchen. When she was gone Harry turned to Remus and answered his question.

"Now Remus, as Hermione has already answered part of your question, I've been able to use magic whenever I want since the last day of school. I was sent a letter by the Ministry saying that the Minister himself authorized letting me use magic whenever I wanted. It seems that they've finally realized how much danger I'm actually in. I think it was somewhat of a bribe too, to hopefully convince me to start working with them. Anyway the reason I didn't tell the Order was because I didn't want to chance Voldemort finding out. I only told Hermione and Ron and Ron didn't even know until he came to the Dursleys' a few weeks ago."

"Why would you worry that Voldemort would find out from one of us? We're all on the same side here and we all want the same thing. We want him defeated."

"True, but don't forget that Mundungus is neither the bravest nor is he the most trustworthy member of the Order. You have to believe that Voldemort would make use of Polyjuice Potion and Veritaserum too. Aside from that, Voldemort is considered to be the best Legilimens alive, for a good reason. If he really wants to know something he can find out, one way or another. The only way to truly ensure that he doesn't find out is to not tell anyone, at least not anyone who can potentially give him the information. Now, if that's all your questions for me, I'm rather hungry. If you'd like you can join us for supper and if not you can stay and watch us eat." Before Harry could start cooking anything Mrs. Weasley came back into the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that, Harry dear. I'll cook you something. I apologize for yelling at you three. We've all been taught our entire lives that the Dark Arts is evil and to avoid using it, even as a last resort. We've been taught that it's something we should fear and that we need to eliminate it from our world. Now that I think about it though, I think you're right Hermione. It's how we use the magic and our intentions behind it that makes us evil, not the mere usage of it."

"If there is evil in this world it lurks in the hearts of men," Harry said. Mrs. Weasley nodded before turning her attention towards her son.

"Ron, I'm very sorry for what happened between us. I want you to come back home. We miss you around here and I know that you miss us. Please come back home Ron." Ron looked at his mother and could tell that she was being genuine. While he did want to return to his home and his comfortable bed, he wasn't just going to agree after what his mother did to him. Besides, he wasn't ready to forgive her yet. Everyone was watching him intently as he addressed her.

"Well, before I decide to come back I need to know that you won't do anything like that again. Do you promise not to?" Mrs. Weasley furiously nodded her head, desperate for her son to come home and to convey her sorrow. "You know you really hurt me when you did that Mum. Just because I'm not Bill or Ginny or Charlie or Fred or George doesn't mean I'm not important and that you can just cast me aside like that. I'll think about whether I want to come back here or not." No one other than Harry and Hermione expected Ron to say that, least of all Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes, well, y-yes, of course. Do whatever you feel like you need to. We'll be here waiting for you, so take as much time as you need." To give herself something to do so she wouldn't break down in front of everyone, Mrs. Weasley set about making dinner. While she was cooking, several of the people there decided to take their leave, some wanting to escape the tense and awkward situation and others for genuine reasons. Eventually the only ones left were Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, Tonks, Remus, and Moody, who said that he didn't have anywhere else to be, though no one really believed him.

It wasn't long before the food was ready and laid out. The thirteen people all sat around the table and helped themselves to the delicious cooking of Molly Weasley. Soon the awkwardness from earlier was gone and had been replaced by a much more light and casual atmosphere. Harry and Hermione were discussing how much they were going to sacrifice now that they were currently staying with the Weasleys and other important aspects of their relationship while Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George were entertaining each other with jokes, situational humor (usually at the expense of one the four), and magic. Bill, Fleur, and Tonks were talking about the wedding and Remus, Arthur, and Molly were discussing events within the Order. It came as no surprise to anyone that Mad-Eye checked the food that had just been prepared in front of him before engaging himself in the conversation with Remus and the two elder Weasleys.

"I'm not doing it, 'Mione," Harry told her as his voice started rising. "That's the one thing I absolutely refuse to give up."

"I know you don't want to sweetheart, and neither do I, but it'll just be until we move to Grimmauld Place in a few weeks." George cleared his throat to get their attention.

"What are you two being so secretive about?"

"Relationship stuff," Hermione casually replied. She spoke no louder than normal but it seemed that everyone had heard her over the noise. All the other conversations stopped as everyone turned to look at them. Everyone was quiet until Fred broke the silence.

"Well it's about bloody time! You two should've gotten together a long time ago. Congratulations." Congratulations were heard around the room from everyone except Tonks and Ron, both of whom already knew. "Here's your money, little sister." He pressed a couple Galleons into Ginny's hand before turning back to Harry and Hermione, all the while ignoring his sister's smug look. "So what was this 'relationship stuff' that you two were talking about?"

"What's going to change now that we're staying here," Harry replied. Knowing his friends as he did, Ron already had an idea of what that was.

"You were talking about the bed arrangements, weren't you?" he asked sympathetically. Harry's nod went unnoticed as Ginny choked on her food and almost spit it out while Mrs. Weasley gave a very audible gasp.

"What is he talking about?" Ginny asked after she had finished coughing and regained her breath. Like her mother, she had jumped to the worst conclusion immediately. "Are you two, you know, doing that?" Hermione smiled.

"Jealous, Ginny?" she asked, still smiling mischievously.

"Definitely not," the youngest Weasley replied without any hesitation. "There's a reason that he's my ex. I just didn't think you'd be like that Hermione," Ginny told her, her own smile starting to form now that she was fairly certain her two friends weren't doing what she thought they were. The laughter that started with the younger people sitting around the table swiftly died down as Mrs. Weasley started yelling again. Apparently she didn't catch the intended humor between Ginny and Hermione.

"So you mean to tell me that you two are...sleeping together? Hermione you're barely seventeen and Harry's not even that yet. You two will ruin your future if you keep doing this! Besides you've only been together for a month. It's much too early for you to be doing things like that." Harry sighed before addressing the older woman.

"Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and I are sleeping in the same bed, I will admit that, but that's the extent of it. We're not doing anything physical. It's just more comfortable for us to sleep in the same bed and we sleep better if we're with each other. It helps us know that the other is safe. Even though we're staying in a place that we know is perfectly safe from Voldemort and the Death Eaters, it isn't the same."

"Well be that as it may you won't be doing that while you're here," Mrs. Weasley responded. "Harry, you'll be sharing Ron's room with him and Hermione you will be staying with Ginny in her room."

"Oh c'mon, Mum, just let them stay with each other," Ron said. "They're not hurting anything and they're both of age."

"Harry's not of age yet," she retorted. "And I don't care if they are of age, while they're in my house they'll have the same sleeping arrangements they always have. Besides, we don't have enough room." Mrs. Weasley sat down with a slightly smug look on her face, as though that last comment completely ended the argument. Hermione looked at Harry and gave him a look that clearly said "I told you so." Harry just rolled his eyes at her and continued eating.

* * *

><p>"What a bitch." Shadow had been watching and listening to everything that had happened. He had arrived just as Mrs. Weasley had started yelling at Harry and Hermione for using Dark Magic and he had to admit that the two teens were much more mature about it than the older woman. Even Ron had handled himself better than his mother. At least none of the teens were immature enough to yell or argue with her over something so stupid. He didn't understand why Molly Weasley had such a problem with Harry and Hermione sleeping in the same bed either. As Ron had pointed out, they weren't hurting anyone.<p>

"I'll never understand humans," he sighed. "They make everything much more complicated than it should be. She's not even their mother, yet she damn sure acts like it. Still, if Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger can put up with it I guess I can too." He was very interested in seeing how the two aforementioned teens would react to waking up without each other for the first time in a month. He wondered if Molly Weasley would still be so insistent on them sleeping in separate beds with half her house blown away. Of course he knew that the chances of that happening were very slim indeed but he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Shadow already knew that Harry would be more than safe here at the Burrow and that he probably wouldn't be needed but he had no plans to abandon his vigil over the young man. The next few weeks were sure to be interesting and he was always appreciative of a good laugh.

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><p>When Harry woke the next morning he immediately began reaching for Hermione as he had every morning since they started sleeping together. When he found nothing but an empty bed his eyes bolted open and he sat up in a panic. He had never been without Hermione since they had started dating and he was beyond worried.<p>

"Hermione where the hell are you?!" he yelled out to the room. As he looked around though everything from the previous night came back to. He was at the Burrow sleeping in Ron's room. Hermione was sleeping in Ginny's room. They had been separated by Mrs. Weasley because she didn't think it was right that they were sharing a bed, even if they were only sleeping. Harry looked over at Ron's bed and was surprised to find the redhead already dressed, sitting up bed reading.

"So how'd you sleep?" he asked.

"Terrible," Harry grumbled, as he yawned and popped his neck. "It took me forever to go to sleep and even then it was never really a deep sleep."

"Yeah Ginny said that Hermione was the same way. She said that she heard her tossing and turning all night."

"Is 'Mione up yet?" Harry asked. He had a frustrated look on his face as he tried to stretch and pop his back.

"She wasn't when I was at breakfast, but that was about an hour ago. If she was she'd probably be in here with you anyway. Are you alright, mate?" Ron was becoming somewhat concerned at Harry's increasingly frustrated look. In response, Harry let loose a fierce yell. "What the bloody hell was that about?!"

"I'm fucking trying to stretch my fucking back and I can't fucking do it! Before I started sleeping with 'Mione I'd wake up most fucking mornings with my back really fucking tight and needing to be fucking popped! I'd stretch it and it'd be alright. Now I can't fucking do it! It won't fucking pop, dammit!"

Harry had barely finished yelling when the door burst open and Hermione came rushing in. She ignored Ron completely and went immediately over to Harry. She sat down on the bed and gathered him into her arms, pulling his head against her shoulder. Harry instinctively wrapped his arms around her and they sat in his bed comforting each other. Ginny came in a few seconds later.

"I knew something like this would happen but I didn't think it would be this bad," Ron told her. "They've never been apart since they got together. I don't know why Mum is separating them like this. It isn't like they're hurting her. They're not doing anything except sleeping in the same damn bed with each other."

"What happened anyway?" Ginny asked her brother.

"Harry woke up not realizing where he was and then he started yelling because Hermione wasn't in here with him. Why didn't someone come up here before now, or at least wake Hermione up?" Ginny looked at him with confusion on her face.

"None of us heard him. Fred and George Silenced this room when they were working on products here during the summer and no one has ever bothered to reverse it. How did you hear him Hermione?"

"I didn't," she responded, never breaking her embrace with Harry nor looking at Ron and Ginny. "I sensed that he was angry and upset and it wasn't exactly difficult to guess why. I knew that he needed me in here and I needed him." Ron and Ginny looked at each other.

"You sensed his mood? What do you mean? Did you use some kind of spell or something?"

"No, it's definitely not a spell, we've already ruled that out. We don't know what it is exactly but we know it's not a spell. We're going to look into it as soon as we can. Did we miss breakfast?"

"Yeah but don't worry about it. Mum said she's going to make you something special since you both had such a hard time sleeping last night."

"She should make you and Ron sleep in the same room and let us stay together," Harry spat. "That's what's going to make this better, not some charity meal."

"Me and Ginny staying in the same room would be so weird, mate. She's my sister." Ron instantly regretted his words as they had earned him a glare from both Hermione and Ginny that could freeze the hottest fires in Hell. Before he could say anything else that would put his foot even further in his mouth, Ginny had grabbed Ron by the arm and dragged him out of the room. "What'd you do that for?" he demanded.

"I pulled you out here so that no one else would have to listen to your dumb remarks," Ginny retorted. "I'm performing a public service really." The look Ron was giving her wasn't nearly as impressive as the one she had just given him. "Besides, in all seriousness, I know if you stay in there much longer you'll probably end up suffering Harry's wrath. And as mad as Harry is right now, there wouldn't be enough left of you to feed a mouse." Ron paled at the thought. "And you know that Hermione will finish off whatever Harry leaves behind.

"The real reason I pulled you out here though, my dear brother, is because I want to talk to you alone. Dammit, Ron, they're your, actually _our_, best friends. You should be helping and supporting them, not making jokes about the situation. I know that it isn't as big to you but it's very serious to them. It's more than just sleeping in the same bed, it helps ensure them that the other is safe. We both know what they've been through over the years and Hermione caught me up on what's happened over the past month; they need that reassurance. And they need to know that some of us are actually on their side. Don't let them down now, when they really need you the most." Before Ron could respond, Mrs. Weasley made her way up the stairs.

"Are Harry and Hermione up yet?" she asked her children. When they both nodded she pushed open the door to Ron's room. "Harry, dear, your lunch is-Hermione what are you doing in here?" Hermione explained the situation as best she could, not in the mood to hear Mrs. Weasley yell right now, while Ron, who was standing in the doorway, filled in the gaps with everything that had transpired prior to Hermione's entrance. "Oh," was the only response they got pertaining to Harry and Hermione's dreadful night apart. "Well hurry up and come downstairs so you can eat your food before it gets cold." With that she walked and stood right outside the room to allow Harry to change.

"Is she ever going to let us have any time to ourselves?"

"It doesn't look like it, Harry. At least not anytime soon."

"What the fuck does she think is going to happen? That if she leaves us alone for more than a minute we're going to start shagging all over the damn place?"

"It does seem that way, doesn't it? What makes me so mad is that neither of us are her children and I'm of age and you will be in less than a month. I understand that she wants what's best for us, and it's touching that she thinks of us as her children, but she can't control us like this. It'll be great when we're on our own at Grimmauld Place." Harry nodded his agreement as he finally unwound himself from Hermione and got out of bed to start changing his clothes. Five minutes later he was dressed and ready for his "special lunch."

The sight that Harry and Hermione beheld upon entering the Weasley kitchen was truly impressively. It looked like Mrs. Weasley had prepared less of a lunch and more of a mini-feast for the two teens. While the gesture itself was nice enough, neither of them were even close to being ready to forgive her yet and they gave her cold looks the entire meal. As they were finishing up, Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Fleur came in and starting eating what was left, doing their best to make sure that none of it went to waste. Harry and Hermione took this as an opportunity to excuse themselves and got up from the table. Before they could make it out of the kitchen though, Ron came in with a purposeful look on his face. He asked them to stay before addressing his mother.

"Mum, I've thought about it and I know that we don't have a lot of room with the Delacours coming soon so I'm volunteering to sleep on the couch until everything settles down."

"Nonsense dear. Why would you want to sleep on the couch in your own house?"

"Well this way Ginny and Gabriella can stay together while Harry and Hermione are free to share my room."

"No, absolutely not!"

"But Mum they're clearly miserable without each other, why won't you let them stay together? What's the big deal? Who are they hurting?"

"They're not going to stay together because I said so! I told them both last night that they're not going to stay together and that's final! Besides what are they going to do when they get back to Hogwarts? The last time I checked, male and female students weren't allowed to sleep in the same room, let alone the same bed."

"We've got an idea," Hermione remarked. "We'll need to talk to Professor McGonagall first to make sure it's acceptable but we think it'll be alright." This announcement clearly shocked Mrs. Weasley but she pressed on.

"Well be that as it may, until then you two won't be staying together. I can't control you at Hogwarts, though I can give Minerva my opinion on the matter, but I can control what happens in my own house." Without another word the three teens left the kitchen, none of them making any attempt to hide their anger at the Weasley matriarch. As soon as they got outside Harry pulled out his wand and began blasting everything in sight. Neither Ron nor Hermione tried to stop him; Ron was using words that even a sailor wouldn't dare use while Hermione was so angry that she was causing things to fly around her, much as she had done on the car ride home from Hogwarts earlier in the summer. After they had finally let off enough steam, leaving the back yard a mess in the process, the three teens stood there panting heavily.

"Thanks for standing up for us in there, Ron," Harry said after a lengthy silence.

"No problem, mate. You two are my best friends. No matter what I've got your back. I know that I haven't exactly been the best friend to either of you over the years, especially to you Hermione, but that ends right now. From now on I promise you two that I'm one hundred percent behind you." Harry and Hermione gave him a small smile. Deciding that they didn't feel like going back inside just yet, the three of them stayed outside practicing their magic before finally reentering the house an hour later.

The rest of the day was uneventful until about an hour before the Order meeting. Since the Burrow was now the headquarters for Order it was quite common for members to show up well before time for the meeting, oftentimes filling the house to capacity. Ron and Ginny were used to random people popping in and out while Harry and Hermione had been expecting it; therefore, none of them were the slightest bit surprised when Moody joined them at the dinner table. In fact, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione didn't even stop their conversation about how it had been to go from best friends to being in a relationship and Ron barely looked up from his snack as he continued to devour it. They finally gave Moody their undivided attention when he spoke to them.

"Potter, Granger, Weasley!" he barked. All four teens looked at him. "The stomach with legs," he clarified, nodding at Ron. Ron slightly glared at him while the other three smirked. "The three of you are going to be attending tonight's meeting. We have something special for you.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: I want to quickly point out that, while criticism (not flames) is appreciated, please give me specific examples. I'm not a mind reader and what makes sense to me may not to you and vise versa. **

**silversnitch4765: The only secret Hermione has kept from Harry is what she was going to do with her family, so I don't see how that's "secrets upon secrets." As for her handling her family as she sees fit, it's **_**her**_** family, not Harry's. He doesn't have anything to do with it. She's only hit him on his chest, mainly teasing him, and she hasn't once blown him off or shushed him. She's stopped him from hurting the Dursleys because she cares about him and knows that he'll eventually regret it. If you're going to criticize their relationship then give me specific examples, otherwise your argument is invalid.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Welcome to the Family<strong>

_"You're a hero and society has a tendency to listen to its heroes."_

"Overall the situation is largely the same now as it has been for the past year: the werewolves continue to support Voldemort. He's promising them the change that they don't think they'll ever get from the rest of society. To them this is a chance to be equals with everyone else. We somehow need to prove to them that we're willing to give them the same rights we do as everyone else." Remus finished his report and took his seat next to Harry and Tonks.

"Thank you Remus," Moody said as he made his way back to the front of the room. "Now before we go any further with this meeting I have a quick announcement that I'd like to make. As of tonight there are three new members in the Order of the Phoenix. Please join me in welcoming Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley." There was polite applause coming from everyone in the room except Mrs. Weasley as the three aforementioned teens sat in stunned silence. As the applause died down Moody continued. "We know that you three are still in Hogwarts, and we'll work around that, but Dumbledore wanted you all to be made members of the Order. After what you did last night we agree that you'd make great additions as well."

"Wow, thanks Mad-Eye," Harry said when he finally regained his voice. "We'll do our best to live up to the expectations you have of us. However I have something that needs to be said while I have the opportunity. I want everyone to know that, even though he's suspected of killing Dumbledore, I can assure you all that Severus Snape is still a loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix." As soon as he said this the entire room erupted in voices.

"Harry what makes you so sure about this?" Remus asked. "Besides I thought you hated Snape more than anyone and were so sure that he was a traitor. What made you change your mind?"

"Dumbledore told me more about why he trusts Snape. He didn't give me any specifics really but he indicated that it was because Snape no longer agrees with nor does he trust Voldemort. And you're partially right Remus: I loathed Severus Snape and I still do but I hate Draco Malfoy more than anyone. Be that as it may though, I do respect Snape, however begrudgingly, and that's why I'm telling you that he's still loyal. My respect for the man won't let me lie about him just because I dislike him and hopefully my well-known hatred of him will convince the rest of you of his true allegiance as well. However, I acknowledge that the decision to allow Snape to remain a member of the Order ultimately lies with the leader, who I assume is you Moody, and I will deter the decision to you."

"You're right, Potter, it is the leader's decision as to whether or not Snape will be allowed to remain a member of the Order and I am not the leader. However, I will pass along your recommendation. I think I already know what their decision will be though. Still, a temporary decision needs to be made. So, for the time being, I decree that Severus Snape will be allowed to remain a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Now, Nymphadora-"

"Don't call me 'Nymphadora!'"

"Before the meeting you mentioned something about breaches in the Ministry." Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat quietly for most of the rest of the meeting, only speaking when they had something important to add or when they were specifically spoken to. The meeting didn't last much more than an hour and by seven-thirty the Orders who had stayed behind were patiently waiting for Mrs. Weasley to finish cooking dinner. Most of them were talking and laughing with each other but there were a few who were still discussing some things that had been brought up in the meeting, including the three newest members.

"Mad-Eye, I don't quite agree with what Tonks said about the Ministry," Harry told him.

"What makes you say that Potter?"

"Well for one thing, even though I'm allowed to do magic whenever I want now, the Ministry should have still detected that fight last night and it should have attracted at least a few Aurors and it didn't. I know that by the time they got there, the fight would have been over but five of the Death Eaters were knocked out and Ron used a spell that caused one's own Killing Curse to backfire on him. A dead Death Eater should have ended up in the Daily Prophet but there's nothing about it."

"So you think that the Ministry is specifically covering up anything that makes You-Know-Who look vulnerable?"

"I think it's much worse than that Moody. I think that Voldemort has followers in the Ministry who are sabotaging it from within. Having spies in there is one thing, we already know about them anyway, but sabotage is a completely different matter. It could be enough to bring the Ministry crumbling down, quite quickly I might add."

"Harry why didn't you bring this up during the meeting?"

"Remus, I may be a member of the Order but I'm only seventeen. Not only that, my theories are no more than that, just theories; I have no evidence of anything, no way to back it up. No one wants to hear the theories of a seventeen-year-old, even if we are all on the same side."

"Harry, listen to me. You are not just a mere seventeen-year-old, you're the Boy Who Lived and now the Chosen One apparently. You're the savior of magical Britain who defeated Voldemort at the age of one after being the only person to survive the Killing Curse and you've gone on to duel him and walk away twice since then. You've faced more than most members of the Order and more than the rest of the magical community put together. Harry, your courage and willingness to face Voldemort, especially at such a young age, have inspired us all. You're a hero and society has a tendency to listen to its heroes. It wouldn't matter if you were as old as Dumbledore or as young as you are."

"Alright, Remus, alright, I get it. I guess being the Boy Who Lived does have some uses occasionally. Besides random people stopping me and asking for my autograph I mean." Before anyone could say anything else about either topic Mrs. Weasley announced that dinner was ready and everyone sat down to eat. Before anyone started though, Remus poured a shot of Firewhiskey into glasses and sent them around to everyone at the table (except Ginny) with a wave of his wand.

"Before everyone starts stuffing themselves on Molly's delicious cooking I want to make a quick toast. To Harry, Hermione, and Ron, the newest members of the Order of the Phoenix. Welcome to the family, you three." The four words of welcome were echoed around the table by everyone except Mrs. Weasley, who still didn't agree with the decision, and Ginny, who was sulking at not getting her own shot of Firewhiskey. The Trio just sat there smiling brightly as they were welcomed and drained their glasses in one gulp with everyone else. Harry and Hermione actually rather enjoyed the burning drink while Ron, shockingly enough, almost spit his out. Bill started laughing when Ron began coughing and tears sprang to the young Weasley's eyes.

"It's an acquired taste little brother."

"Yeah I no-noticed," Ron replied between coughs. When he had finally gotten himself under control everyone started eating. Harry and Hermione immediately began a conversation about their ability to sense the other's mood, given the events from that morning, which Ron joined in as soon as he could talk without his throat burning him.

"Maybe Remus knows something about it babe."

"Well it can't hurt to talk to him."

"It can't hurt to talk to Remus about what?" the werewolf in question asked from across the table. "What is he supposed to know about?" Hermione smirked slightly at the thinly veiled humor before asking him their question.

"Well Harry and I have this, well, this connection. We can't really explain it. Basically we can sense each other's mood, which makes it seem like we're talking to each other telepathically, and we apparently seem to know spells that the other creates. I knew the _Fulmisium_ spell that Harry had just come up with and I had no problem using it. I didn't have to practice it or anything; I just used it, like I had been for years."

"So you know spells that the other knows and you can sense each other's mood? It may be because you two are so close to each other and have faced so much together through the years. But that doesn't seem quite likely; if that was indeed the case then Ron would probably be the same way, thought admittedly that could be further explained by your relationship. It's also possible that you two are mentally connected, though that's exceedingly rare and you'd be able to communicate telepathically."

"Remus I recently read something about these things called 'soul bonds.' I'm not exactly sure what they are since the book didn't go into detail, but could that be what this is?" Remus let out a barking laugh.

"Hermione soul bonds don't exist and neither do any of those other romanticized bonds. They were created because they sound good and it's a great way to rip off gullible young witches. Not that I'm saying you're gullible, don't get me wrong. No, what happened between you two is most likely because of the circumstances that surrounded you as you grew up. You two have had to face much more than most adults and so much more than you should ever have at your age. Add to that the fact that you two are only children and unfamiliar with the magical world and it starts to make sense; that's not definite though, it's just my theory. I'm sorry that I don't have a more suitable response for you but I hope I helped nonetheless."

"You did Remus," Harry responded. "You did. Thank you so much." Remus briefly bowed his head before diving back into his food. "Well we have a few actual theories now instead our own half-arsed ideas," Harry said as he turned back to Ron and Hermione. "And we know what it definitely isn't, so that's good too."

"Anything that can bring us closer to what this actually is, is helpful," Hermione added.

"I still don't see why this is so important," Ron grumbled. "You two can sense each other's mood and you know spells just because the other knows them. What's the big deal?"

"Ron if we can find out what this is then we may learn about other benefits it might have. There may also be dangers that we need to know about." Deciding it was in his best interest not to argue, Ron went back to his food and nothing more was said about Harry and Hermione's mysterious connection.

* * *

><p>After dinner was over Mr. Weasley stopped Ron as he was making his way into the sitting room.<p>

"Ron would you mind stepping outside with me for a minute?" the older man politely asked.

"Actually Dad, I was just going in here with-"

"It wasn't an option," Mr. Weasley cut his son off, still polite but now forceful. "Outside, Ron. Now!" With a shrug of his shoulders Ron followed his father outside. "Your mother is very torn up about you not returning home. I must admit that I'm surprised as well."

"Dad look, before you go any further I want you to know that if it wasn't for the situation I would've already come back home. This has proven to me though that she loves me the least out of all her children. Don't bother arguing with me about it either; you know it's true. If it was anyone else she would've at least given them a chance to explain themselves and they probably wouldn't have been kicked out of the house.

"Let's break this down really quick actually. Bill and Charlie are her golden boys. They could murder someone right in front of her and she'd help them hide the body. Fred and George are just pranksters, so they'd never seriously do anything like that, it'd all be a joke.. Since Percy's in the Ministry if he uses the Dark Arts it's for official reasons, so he has an excuse. And there's absolutely no possible way that her little princess Ginny would ever think about doing something like that.

"What bothers me most of all though is that, if it was anyone else, she'd probably have to them with just a couple of hours and beg them to forgive her. Hell she even wants Percy to come back home even after everything he said but I try fighting Voldemort on equal terms and she wants nothing to do with me. I was with Harry and Hermione for two weeks and during that time she made absolutely no attempt to contact me and make sure I was alright. The only reason she even said she was sorry at all was because Hermione talked back to her." Ron paused to catch his breath and Mr. Weasley quickly seized the opportunity.

"Ron you have to understand that we grew up being told that the Dark Arts are evil and that anyone who practices them is a Dark Wizard. You can't blame her for that."

"No, I can't blame her for that. You're right Dad. But I can blame her for not even trying to see things from my perspective. She doesn't have to like what I do, I know that most people probably won't, but she should still try to understand it."

"So are you ever going to come back home permanently?"

"Eventually, yes. Mum's making things worse though because of the way she's acting about Harry and Hermione sleeping together. It's the exact same thing she did to me. She doesn't even try to understand why they do that. And like I keep saying, they're not hurting anyone so I don't see the problem. I know it probably doesn't mean anything to most of you but it's important to them. They feel much safer and more at ease when they're together.

"The day they got together Harry's uncle and cousin tried to kill him and Hermione saved his life. Later that same day Harry nearly killed his aunt in a fit of rage after finding out that the reason his life was so terrible with them was because she was jealous of his mum. Hermione was able to calm him down enough that he didn't actually do it. They stayed together that night because Hermione was worried about Harry and Harry needed her there to comfort him. Since then it's made them more comfortable sleeping together in a house with people who hated them both. It gives them a sense of comfort knowing that someone who cares is literally within arm's reach. So I'll tell you what Dad: when Harry and Hermione are able to sleep together again, whether it's in this house or somewhere else, I'll come back home to stay."

"Why bring them into this Ron?"

"Because they're my friends, Dad. We've had our ups and downs over the past several years but they've always been there for me. Now it's my turn. I'm not going to let them down." With that Ron left his father standing there and went back inside, where he quickly joined a game of Exploding Snap with Harry, Hermione, the twins, and Ginny.

* * *

><p>It had been three days since Harry and Hermione had come to the Burrow and Mrs. Weasley was still showing no sign of letting them stay together. The two teens were becoming increasingly frustrated. Harry constantly woke from an uneasy sleep with his back bothering him while Hermione woke countless times during the night in a panic over Harry, always forgetting where he was. Neither of them were getting nearly enough sleep, as was evident in their eyes, and Ron and Ginny, as well as a few others, were becoming quite concerned. With the idea that they needed to do something to help their two best friends, the two youngest Weasleys approached them that afternoon.<p>

"Hey, listen," Ron began, "we've been thinking. While we've loved having you here for the past few days, as we always do, we think you two should move into Grimmauld Place this weekend." Harry gave a dry laugh.

"Trying to get rid of us already Ron?"

"Hah, not hardly mate. We're glad you're here. We just think that it'd be better for you two if you're at Grimmauld Place. We know that you haven't been getting enough sleep, it's blatantly obvious. Why put yourselves through that if you don't have to? Besides there's already not that much room and when the Delacours get here it'll be even worse. You two have a way out of that whole mess."

"But Ron we can't move in this weekend. We don't have enough time to do everything."

"What is there to do Hermione? It's not like you have to get the house transferred over to you or anything. You just need to move your stuff over and talk to my parents, especially Mum. You can move your stuff there tonight and talk to Mum and Dad tomorrow. Then you can be moved in by Sunday." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and had a very quick, silent conversation. Ten seconds later they were heading up to their respective rooms to gather their belongings. Thirty minutes after that they had just returned to the Burrow after dropping their stuff off at Grimmauld Place.

"Now the hard part is coming up with what to tell your parents," Harry told Ron upon their return. "I like them, even your Mum despite what she's doing, and I don't want to offend either one of them." He turned out to be right, as it took him and Hermione the rest of the night and most of the next day to decide what to say that didn't sound angry or hurtful. Finally, an hour before dinner, Harry and Hermione asked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to come into the kitchen so they could talk. The two teens were noticeably anxious, which made both the Weasleys curious and slightly worried. Harry took the initiative and started the conversation.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, we both want you to know how much we appreciate all you've done for us over the years, letting us stay here during the summers and treating us like members of the family. However, we think that it's time we had a place of our own. We know that we're young but on the other hand we've essentially been living together for years. Besides, we lived together for almost a month before coming here and didn't kill each other."

"Is this just because I won't let you two stay in the same room?" Hermione looked uncertainly at Harry who simply shrugged.

"Honestly that is part of it, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione answered, "but there's more to it than that. We haven't slept very well since we got here."

"Well excuse me for wanting the best for the people I care about!"

"Is that what you call it?" Harry challenged. "Apparently we have a different definition of the word 'best.' As Hermione just said, neither of us have gotten a good night's sleep in the past three days. I wake up fighting mad and Hermione's had nightmares for two of the past three nights. That doesn't sound to me like someone who wants the 'best' for those she cares about." Mrs. Weasley was about to argue her point before Mr. Weasley interrupted her.

"Don't Molly. He's got a point. Now you said that you've got other reasons?"

"That's right. For starters we want time to ourselves before we have to go back to Hogwarts and be surrounded by way too many people. Furthermore we're both of age and we want to live by ourselves. I have a house so why just let it sit there when we could actually live in it and make use of it. Besides, the Dealcours will be coming up here in about a week and this place will be completely packed. We don't want to deal with that either."

"So when are you two leaving then?" Mrs. Weasley had apparently decided that she wasn't going to win this battle.

"Tomorrow afternoon. We've already taken our things over there." Mrs. Weasley stormed away from the table at Hermione's response. Her husband shook his head before addressing the two teens.

"Don't worry about her; she'll eventually come around. You two need to do what you feel is best for you though. We'll miss you being here but we understand (well most of us do anyway) and our door will always be open to you." The teens thanked the Weasley patriarch before taking their leave. He watched them go with a small smile before returning to his latest hobby: trying to figure out exactly how a rubber duck worked.

As it turned out, Mrs. Weasley wasn't quite as accepting of Harry and Hermione moving to Grimmauld Place as it might have seemed at first. That night at dinner she made it a point to personally serve everyone at the table, including Remus, while intentionally passing up the two teens.

"What was that about?" the ex-professor asked Harry.

"She's just mad that Hermione and I are moving to Grimmauld Place tomorrow and that it's partially her fault," came the reply as Harry started helping himself to the food. "She's trying to spite us."

"You two are moving to Grimmauld Place? Together?"

"Yes Remus, and please don't tell us that we're too young or that we haven't been together that long." Remus raised his eyebrows before looking across the table at Mrs. Weasley, who smiled, thinking that she was finally going to get some support. What Remus actually said floored her.

"Actually, your parents got married after being together for less than a year, Harry. Besides, you two have proven that you're able to live together without killing each other, especially over this past month. I don't see anything wrong with this."

"What?! Remus, how can you condone this?! I don't think that James and Lily would want-"

"First of all Molly, as their oldest friend, I think I know better than you what James and Lily Potter would want for their son and I think they would've been fine with this. Don't you dare act like you know what they would have wanted for Harry. Second of all, Harry and Hermione are of age, those two more weeks that Harry has means nothing as far as I'm concerned, and it can easily be argued that they've been adults for two years. If you don't treat them like the adults they are when they're here then why should they stay?" Mrs. Weasley sat silently fuming as she finally realized that no one was on her side in this matter.

Nothing else was said about the subject and the next afternoon Harry and Hermione said their goodbyes to Ron, Ginny, and Mr. Weasley. They tried to tell Mrs. Weasley goodbye too but she didn't want to hear it. Undeterred and not having anything left to do, they Apparated to Grimmauld Place.

"Welcome to our new home," Harry said.

"Welcome indeed," came the response as Hermione turned to Harry and kissed him with more passion than she had been allowed the past few days.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I know that the idea to move may be abrupt and Molly's reaction may be too accepting of defeat but I didn't feel like dragging out things out when that would be the end result. That would be boring and frustrating to me if I was reading it and I don't you to scream "Just get it over with!' at your computer.<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Finally! **_**The Final Push**_** has come back to fanfiction! I apologize for the delay in this chapter but I got major writer's block halfway through. But the good news is that I've got chapter 15 already written and partially typed up and I'm working on chapter 16. So they should both be up pretty soon.**

**Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Two Minutes To Midnight<strong>

_"It's the destiny of man to fight overwhelming odds and change the course of the world."_

Hermione was sitting in the den at Grimmauld Place waiting for Harry to return home. He had to hold an Order meeting at the Burrow. He had taken the role of leader very seriously since he had been placed in the position when he came of age. He had immediately insisted that Grimmauld Place be used to host the meetings, since he believed that the leader should be the one to host them. He had been very adamant about it until late into Hermione's pregnancy with their daughter and it was becoming very stressful for her to even attend the meetings, let alone host them. At that point Mrs. Weasley had offered to hold the meetings at the Burrow again. It had taken some convincing on her and Hermione's part but he had eventually agreed that it was the best thing to do.

Hermione wasn't able to attend the last six weeks of her pregnancy. Even if she had been able to, she wasn't allowed to; Harry had forbidden Hermione from doing anything with the Order or the war, an act that had earned him two weeks on the couch. She couldn't stay mad at him for long though. She knew he was only doing that love and to protect her. It was a joyous time when Raelynn was born. Harry took a break from his responsibilities to the Order for almost three weeks to make sure his girlfriend and newborn daughter were well taken care of. Unfortunately, Voldemort doesn't take holidays and all too soon, Harry had to return to the war.

Though Hermione was very happy to be a mother and Raelynn very much, she couldn't help but feel that the arrival of her daughter was rather untimely. She felt completely useless to the Order and burdensome to Harry. Worse yet, she had brought her daughter into a world that was incredibly dangerous, especially for her. Voldemort wanted Harry Potter dead, that was a well-known fact, and anyone close to him was in even more danger than he was. For the past year Hermione was the person hunted most by Voldemort; Hermione could accept that, after all she had proven on many occasions that she could defend herself and she was used to it. She couldn't accept the fact that she had brought this beautiful little girl into the world to be another target for Voldemort. He was determined to kill Harry by any means necessary, even if it meant targeting his loved ones; this put Raelynn Potter in even more danger and Hermione hated herself for it. She was quickly pulled out of her thoughts though when she heard the door open. She got up off the couch and started down the hall, clutching her wand in her pocket the entire time.

"Harry," she called, "what's the last thing you think about before you go to sleep?" The voice that answered her wasn't Harry's. It belonged to a person that Hermione was very familiar with but hated even more than Voldemort.

"Harry's not here," Bellatrix Lestrange replied as she stepped out of the shadows.

"You!" Hermione roared. Ever since Lestrange had murdered Tonks several months ago Hermione had been determined to take revenge on the Death Eater. Without another word, the young woman drew her want and began rapidly firing curses at Voldemort's best lieutenant. Bellatrix had no time to shield herself (and she reasoned that Hermione's curses were probably too powerful for a simple Shield Charm to be very effective anyway) and had no choice but to quickly duck out of the way. She was extremely lucky: there was an incredible hole in the wall behind where she had been standing seconds before.

"That's no way to treat company, my dear little Mudblood," Bellatrix tauntingly said as she rose back into a standing position. Her hair, shoulders, and upper back were all white from the dust Hermione's curses had stirred up. "I am a guest in your house after all. Where's you hospitality? Or should I just let myself in?"

"You should get the fuck out of my house if you want to live, bitch! I promised you that I was going to kill you for what you did to Dora and that's what I'm going to do! It was bad enough that you killed her in cold blood, you sick, sadistic, fucking bitch! You didn't have to torture her body like you did! There's my hospitality by the way!" Hermione spat as she fired another spell at Bellatrix.

"What, my niece, the blood traitor?" Bellatrix replied. "She deserved to die. So did her blood traitor mother." By this point Bellatrix had pulled out her own wand and the two powerful witches were dueling in the hallway.

"How can you be so cold and callus? They're your family!" Bellatrix let loose a cold, humorless shrieking laugh.

"They may be related to me but they are **not** my family. I became better than Andromeda the moment she married that Mudblood. So when she brought that brought that filthy half-blood into the world I was naturally better than her too. I think I've had enough of this game though. I need to find your precious little girl and carry out the orders given to me by my master. We both know that it's unwise to disappoint him."

"Don't you go anywhere near my daughter!" Hermione's demand fell on deaf ears as Bellatrix made the ceiling collapse, knocking Hermione down and preventing her from stopping Bellatrix from going further into the house. With her path clear, the Death Eater began her search for Raelynn Potter. She found the newborn girl on the second floor, across from her parents' room.

"It's almost a shame to kill you," Bellatrix told the infant. "But the Dark Lord wants you dead and that's good enough for me. Your death will devastate your mommy and hopefully make your daddy so upset that he'll seek out my master; then he can be killed and Lord Voldemort will take his rightful place as the ruler of all of Britain. Besides, the life of the daughter of a half-blood and a Mudblood means nothing to me. I'm sorry you won't get to grow up to be a spoiled brat. You can blame your parents for that." Bellatrix waved her wand and, without a word, sent a familiar green light to Raelynn that instantly killed the infant. A second later the door flew open and Hermione stood in the doorway.

"What the fuck have you done to my daughter?!" she demanded. The Death Eater's smirk, so much like her dead nephew's, told Hermione all she needed to know. "You killed a defenseless baby? I'll kill you, you fucking bitch!" Bellatrix had only a second to duck under Hermione's Killing Curse before putting the young witch in a Full-Body Bind.

"Pathetic," the Death Eater commented as she approached the prone Hermione. "You're a powerful witch, but you've got one thing holding you back: your emotional attachment. If you didn't have that then you'd be practically unstoppable. The Dark Lord didn't say anything about you but I don't think he'll mind if you meet your end here too." Bellatrix pointed her wand at Hermione's heart and uttered the Killing Curse again.

Hermione woke up a fraction of a second before the spell hit her with a startled cry. She took several gulps of air and looked around to confirm that the dream was just a dream. Harry began stirring beside her.

"What is it 'Mione?" he asked while his hand searched for hers. She took it before responding.

"It's nothing, sweetheart. Just a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he managed to ask. Hermione smiled at him. Even though he was half asleep and his words were so slurred that she could barely understand him, he wanted to be there for her if she needed him.

"No I'm alright. It was just a nightmare. Go back to sleep."

"Okay, well I'm going back to sleep then," Harry mumbled before rolling onto his stomach. Hermione gave a soft chuckle when she heard him lightly snoring a couple of minutes later. With Harry asleep she laid back down and tried to go to sleep herself but the dream kept running through her head. Finally, an hour later, she managed to drift off into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

><p>"So how's the first three days been, Hermione?"<p>

"It's been great Ginny! Pretty much all the furniture has been thoroughly used, so to speak. My back's really sore though. It's a good thing I'm so limber or a lot of the positions we tried wouldn't have been possible." On the other side of the doorway Mrs. Weasley gave a very audible gasp before hurrying away from the conversation. The three young Witches laughed before continuing.

"So have you actually done that yet?" Ginny asked.

"No, not yet."

"How much longer do you think you'll last?"

"Well Harry does have a birthday coming up in about a week Dora."

"Ooh, naughty."

"It's always the smart ones who are the naughtiest Ginny." Tonks and Ginny laughed as Hermione's face turned red. "Haha, so where is Prince Charming anyway, Hermione?"

"He's outside with Fred, George, and Ron playing two-a-side Quidditch."

"And you're not out there with them Ginny?"

"Tch, fuck that!" the youngest Weasley responded. "They're not playing Quidditch as much as they are trying to beat the fuck out of each other with the Quaffle. I like the way I look, thank you very much."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to fuck up that pretty face," Hermione cooed sarcastically.

"I'll fuck up your face," Ginny joked back.

"I'd watch it if I were you Ginny," Harry said as he walked up behind Hermione's chair. "You remember what she did to Marietta Edgecomb don't you?" Ginny's face paled as Hermione looked slightly guilty.

"Well the bitch deserved it."

"Do you really want to antagonize her?"

"I, uh, kind of forgot about that. You've got a point. I'll shut up now." The four of them laughed as Ron, Fred, and George came in.

"What's so funny?" George asked.

"Ginny almost put her foot in her mouth," Tonks answered.

"I would've liked to see that," Ron laughed.

"How'd you like to see my wand down your throat?"

"That doesn't sound very pleasant, although it would be pretty wicked if sparks suddenly started flying from my-"

"Meeting in five minutes everyone," Remus told them. "And whatever you were talking about, I don't want to know," he finished as he withdrew from the room.

"Thanks Remus!" Tonks called after him. "Alright c'mon you lot, let's go. Harry, you're going to mention your thoughts about You-Know-Who sabotaging the Ministry this time aren't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll say something about it."

"I still don't see why I can't be part of the Order too," Ginny whined. "I know what's going on anyway. It's easy to find out when everyone else in my family's part of it."

"You're too young Ginny."

"So are you three Hermione. Don't tell me that."

Yes but we're in the thick of the fighting, whether we want to or not. And Harry's been targeted since he was a baby, in case you've forgotten that part."

"Yeah, I'll be glad to trade you if you want."

"No thanks."

"Alright then." The seven of them left the room, the six Order members making their way to the meeting while Ginny headed to the kitchen. Most of the rest of the Order was already in the room and the meeting started soon after the six of them sat down.

"Alright that's pretty much everyone so we'll get started," Moody said when everyone had gotten quiet. "I hereby call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to order. The first order of business will be by Harry about much You-Know-Who has actually infiltrated the Ministry." With everyone's eyes on him, Harry reluctantly released Hermione's hand made his way to the front of the room.

"Thanks, Mad-Eye, I think. Well, based on observations made by Ron, Hermione, and myself over the past week we believe that Voldemort has actually begun sabotaging the Ministry from within, not merely spying on things anymore."

"Where's your proof of this Harry? While I agree that this is something that needs to be taken care of, we can't risk ourselves over beliefs. This is bound to be dangerous, anything to do with Voldemort is, and we can't take any unnecessary risks."

"That's a good point Bill, and admittedly we don't have any actual proof yet. All we have right now is our own speculation. There are too many things that don't add up though, so we know that something has to be going on. For example, there was nothing in the _Prophet_ about us fighting and defeating those Death Eaters last week; that should've been huge news, so it makes sense that Voldemort wouldn't want it getting out to the public. On top of that, no Aurors showed up, at least not that we're aware of. The only thing that really makes sense is that someone kept everyone else, both outside of and within the Ministry; of course that could be someone other than Voldemort, but who else would want to keep something like that quiet?

"Furthermore, after we left, the Dursleys were murdered and the Dark Mark was found over the house. That should've been really been news for Voldemort, except for the fact that I didn't die, but there was nothing about that either. It was in the Muggle paper but not in the _Prophet_. The chance of Voldemort having something to do with that is basically nonexistent. I think we all know that Voldemort wouldn't miss the chance to declare that the great Harry Potter's family is killed and that I'm on the run. So it only makes sense that someone else kept that quiet. Of course this doesn't mean that the Ministry's been sabotaged but there's definitely something going on."

"Is it possible that there's a third party involved?" Kingsley asked. "Do we know anyone who stands to benefit from keeping everyone else in the dark like this? Someone who doesn't want the public to be inspired but doesn't want them to lose any more confidence than they already have?"

"That would make sense," Harry agreed, "but at a time like this a third party like that would probably be quite rare, wouldn't it? People either want Voldemort to be defeated for good so they don't have to fear for their lives anymore or they want him to win so they can either move up in society or hopefully gain some of his power. Who would want to keep the war going like that?"

"I would, if I didn't have a personal reason for wanting him gone," Mundungus spoke up. "Wars are great opportunities for petty thieves and smugglers. We can basically do what we want and people are too concerned with the war to stop us. And if we do get caught then we'll most likely be released before making it to Azkaban and if we actually do get sent there we can easily escape, especially in this particular war. That might not be the best suggestion though. It sounds like whoever is doing this has connections in the Ministry and most likely the _Prophet_ that very few of us would have."

"Well, as Potter has pointed out, there's clearly something going on here and we need to get to the bottom of it," Moody told them all as he took the meeting over again and Harry returned to his seat. "How we'll do that though, I don't know yet. Our best bet is probably to take a background role for right now and just monitor the situation. Now that we're aware of the fact that something's not right, we may notice something out of the ordinary that we didn't before. Now for our next order of business..." With Harry back in his seat and Moody conducting the meeting, everything progressed as usual until the end.

"Now for the final order of business tonight. Over the past week, Harry, Hermione, Kingsley, myself, and to a lesser extent Ron have decided that we need to take the offensive if we're going to win this war. Our first will be at midnight tomorrow at Hogsmeade." He quickly outlined the main points of the offensive, which included two fronts, a strike force, and an assault force. The idea was that the strike force would be able to cause panic, especially since the Death Eaters wouldn't be expecting an attack, at which point the assault force would join the battle and drive the Death Eaters out of the village. "So we need someone to take point on each front."

"Mad-Eye, Hermione and I volunteer to take point on one of the fronts," Harry told him.

"I'll take point on the other front," Ron volunteered.

"Alright, we'll need to add some people though. Kingsley and Tonks, you two are with Potter and Granger and Remus, Arthur, and Podmore, you three will be with Wealsey." They all nodded their consent. "The eight of you should be enough for the strike force. Potter, you'll lead your front and Weasley, Ron, you'll lead yours with Remus as your support. I'll be leading the assault force. I need trustworthy volunteers who know what they're getting into. This will be dangerous and I want you all to realize that before you agree to this; I won't blame anyone who stays behind but I don't want someone who will run if things get dangerous." Without hesitation, Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, Dedalus Diggle, Hestia Jones, and two new members raised their hand. "Nine including me. I'd like one more person if I could."

"I'll do it, Alastor," Minerva McGonagall said as she came into the room. "Sorry I'm so late, I was working on something and lost track of the time. I'll be glad to join you though."

"Thank you, Minerva," Mad-Eye responded. "Well now we have our force and the time. We all know what we're doing so if there's no further questions-"

"I've got a question," Ron began. "Why is it that Harry is leading his front by himself and I have to have support?"

"Because Harry has leadership experience Ron," Hermione answered. "He's been in several situations where he's had to lead, especially in fifth year. Everyone here knows that he's a very capable leader. You have backup in case you're not up to the task." Ron sputtered but Hermione continued on before he could say anything. "You shouldn't take it as an insult though, Ron. This is huge, so the fact that Mad-Eye thinks you should be leading at all is actually a compliment. Since this is big and we don't know how you'll handle the pressure we need someone there to take charge if necessary. It's not an insult as much as it simply not knowing how you'll react yet."

"She's right," Mad-Eye told Ron before he could say anything else. "That's all there is to it; it has nothing to do with distrust or doubt. Now, if you're finished, I hereby end this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix." With the meeting officially over, people began filing out of the room. Harry and Hermione hung back to catch Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, could we talk to you?"

"Certainly Ms. Granger," the older witch replied as she turned to them. Her keen perception didn't fail her, as she immediately noticed their entwined hands. "So you two are together now I see. Well congratulations to the both of you. I always told Albus that you were perfect for each other."

"Thank you, Professor. That's actually what we wanted to talk to you about. Harry and I are currently living at Grimmauld Place and we were wondering if it would be possible for us to stay there during the school year as well."

"This is a very unusual request. May I inquire as to why you wish to give up your beds at the castle?"

"We have three good reasons," Harry told her. "For starters, now that we're part of the Order we feel that this will be the best solution for that. This way it's absolutely no trouble for someone to reach us. All they have to do is use the Floo. Furthermore we won't have to explain our random disappearances to people, which will make everyone's life easier. That actually brings me to my second point: the rest of the student body.

"As you well know Professor, Hermione and I are already in the public eye at Hogwarts more than either of us would like. When they find out that we're in a relationship, it'll be worse than ever. We're not going to hide the fact that we're together though. We're damned if we and damned if we don't. It's not fair and we just want to avoid it altogether if we can. And our last reason will probably seem ridiculous to you but Hermione and I literally can't sleep separated from each other, we just can't."

"Hmm, while I agree with your first two points, aren't you exaggerating about that Potter?"

"He's not Professor. Before we moved into Grimmauld Place we stayed at the Burrow for a few days and Molly didn't let us sleep together. We each got about nine or ten hours of sleep over the course of our stay here and what little sleep we did get was terrible. Harry woke up sore every morning and I kept having nightmares. We're both used to not getting much sleep but we can't keep going like that, especially for an entire school year." Professor McGonagall thought for several long minutes before making her decision.

"This is extremely unorthodox, but I'm going to allow you two to live at Grimmauld Place while still attending Hogwarts. It will make things somewhat difficult, especially at first, but, as you said, it won't be any trouble to contact you if necessary." With that she went down to the kitchen to with the rest of the Order members who had stayed while Harry and Hermione Disapparated to Grimmauld Place.

"Where are they?" Mrs. Weasley asked when McGonagall came into the kitchen.

"Potter and Granger? They went back to Grimmauld Place I assume."

"I don't see why they couldn't just stay here. It's much safer for them to stay here where we can protect them."

"They're perfecting capable of protecting themselves Molly. Besides, they're both of age; they can do whatever they want now."

"Am I the only one here who realizes that Harry isn't of age yet?"

"Harry has a week and a half until he's of age and in case you're forgotten, he can use magic whenever he wants already," Remus reminded her. "We all know that, but you're the only one making a big deal out of it because you're the only one who still sees them as children. The only things that will change for Harry is that he can legally buy Firewhiskey and the Trace will be officially removed."

"Yes, well, be that as it may, they're living on their own just because I'm trying to do what's best for them. I don't understand why sleeping in the same bed is such a big deal for them."

"Enough!" Ron bellowed. "Mum we all know that you weren't just trying to do what's best for them; you're trying to control their lives! Have you noticed a change in how they look since they've been gone? You'd have to be blind not to see it! It doesn't take the most perceptive person in the world to realize that they're much better rested! They're perfectly happy at Grimmauld Place and they're well protected too. Just leave them alone for once! Damn!" Having finished his tirade, Ron stormed out of the kitchen, anger written all over his face.

"I think I'll talk to them about it the next time they're over here for dinner," Mrs. Weasley commented, acting as though her youngest son hadn't just blown up at her.

* * *

><p>Harry, Hermione, Tonks, and Kingsley were currently situated in a back alley on the north side of Hogsmeade. They were all anxiously waiting for the clock to strike twelve and for the battle to begin. All of them were fully aware of the fact that they couldn't make a single mistake; the mission was too important for anything to go wrong. They whiled away the time by quietly talking to each other and telling jokes. Finally, Hermione asked what they were all thinking.<p>

"Harry, do you really think this will work?"

"As long as everything goes as planned, yes. Why?"

"I'm not so sure now."

"Hermione, wasn't this basically your idea in the first place?"

"Yes it was 'Dora, and I was confident about it then. Now I'm not as confident as I once was." Harry turned to her.

"'Mione there's no need to be so nervous, sweetheart. You just have to have faith that this will work. If Moody didn't think this would work then he wouldn't have agreed to it. Besides, the Order's best members are here and we have the advantage of the element of surprise. Furthermore there's a lot of new Death Eaters here and I'm willing to bet that they're more concerned with power and elevating their status with Voldemort than watching each other's back."

"But what if we're walking into a reverse ambush?"

"Two minutes to midnight," Tonks announced.

"Then we'll do what we usually do: fight our way out. This scenario isn't exactly new to us 'Mione. Over the years we've faced several ambushes and we've made it out with no lasting problems and more experience. Admittedly we got through before mainly on luck but we've learned a lot since then. That experience will serve us greatly tonight."

"He's right Hermione," Kingsley agreed. "Besides, Death Eaters aren't exactly subtle. If they knew we were here they wouldn't wait for us to attack them."

"Kingsley's right," Tonks said. "Death Eaters don't care about irony or poetic justice, they just care about killing us. If they knew we were here they would have already attacked us."

"Well that does make sense," Hermione replied. "I guess I didn't think about that. I do feel better now. I feel like this could really work."

"Good," Harry told her, "because it's MIDNIGHT!" A split second after Harry's yell split the night they heard Ron's war cry and all eight of them rushed their enemy. Eight Death Eaters were incapacitated before they even knew they were under attack. Fortunately for the followers of Voldemort, three of the next eight spells, including an all too familiar green curse cast by one Ronald Weasley, missed their mark, only taking out five this time. With the element of surprise no longer a factor, the real battle began.

As more Death Eaters continued to join the battle, seemingly from nowhere, it became clear that the Order members were outnumbered, which provided a much needed boost to the confidence of Voldemort's chosen elite. Unfortunately for them, their confidence didn't last long. as Mad-Eye and his assault team Apparated into the village, the anti-Apparition wards forgotten about in the chaos. Ten Death Eaters were sent sprawling to the ground. The eight members of the strike teams took advantage of the added confusion by taking out eight more of their enemy. With the addition of the assault team the Death Eaters began to despair. When a Death Eater that was inches away from Harry, and mere seconds from killing the teen, was hit by a Killing Curse, those who were still on their feet panicked and fled, leaving the village for the Order. Every member of the Order, including Mad-Eye, took time to celebrate their victory before checking the wounded Death Eaters.

"So what do we do with them?" Ron asked, a hopeful look in his eyes. "Kill them?"

"No, we're not going to kill them Ron," Harry replied. "We'll just destroy their wands, and maybe some body parts while we're at it." Several of the others looked at each other, clearly shocked at what Harry had just suggested.

"Body parts, Harry?"

"Yes, Remus. I don't want to kill them in cold blood, that's Voldemort's job, but we need to do something more than just snap their wand. They can easily get theirs replaced, especially if Voldemort's taken Ollivander captive."

"Wouldn't that essentially make us as bad as Voldemort? In a way at least?"

"It all depends on how you look at it. And, Remus, in the end do you think it really matters if we were as bad as Voldemort? No one will care in the end. All that will matter to anyone is that we finally defeated him for good. Besides, could you forgive yourself if you let one of this lot go and they ended up doing the same Pettigrew did?" Harry knew that he'd struck a nerve when Remus looked up at him with an odd combination of a feral grin and a snarl on his face.

"You're right," he said. "Right now what's important is protecting all the innocents out there. It's up to us to do the things that the Ministry won't. I'm with you Harry." Without a word Harry nodded to him and turned to everyone else.

"I know that some of you, actually probably all of you, don't like this idea and that's fine. I honestly don't like it much myself. I don't expect any of you to do anything you don't want. If you want to leave I don't blame you at all. If any of you want to stay and be our lookouts in case any of the Death Eaters come back, I'd really appreciate it." They all looked around at each other before McGonagall answered for them.

"We may not approve of what you're doing, Potter, but we'll stand beside you nonetheless. The Order may not always agree with each other but stand together no matter what. If we let ourselves be divided then Voldemort has already won. I don't think any of us have a problem acting as your lookouts." Harry slightly bowed his head in thanks. As the rest of the Order spread out, he, Hermione, Ron, Tonks, Remus, Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur made their way around the battlefield, destroying wand and limb alike. Between the nine of them the task went quickly and soon all the Order members were gathered around the only victim of the Killing Curse the entirety of the fight.

"Who do you think killed him?" Hermione asked no one in particular.

"Well we do know one person here who used the curse several times in the fight, don't we Ron?" Tonks replied, looking straight at the redhead.

"Hey I have no problem admitting that I did use the curse, but I didn't actually hit anybody with it. Besides I never aimed at this guy. I thought about it but I was worried that I might hit Harry."

"I guess one of his fellow Death Eaters accidentally hit him," Harry said aloud. " Maybe he thought this one was about to kill me and he didn't want him to get all the glory. Either way it would be a death sentence. We all know that Voldemort wants to kill me personally and anyone else who does will pay for it."

"Well thinking about it won't bring him back," Mad-Eye proclaimed. "There's no use in staying here any longer. I'll see you all next week." With that he Disapparted. One by one the others followed suit. Soon only Harry and Hermione remained.

"Well you were right, sweetheart. They were more concerned about personal glory than helping each other. Looks like that's what saved you."

"Yeah, looks like it."

"You sound relieved." Harry nodded. "But you're the one brought that up in the first place."

"I only hoped they would 'Mione. Honestly I was trying to make you feel better more than anything else. I guess I shouldn't have said anything at all."

"You were trying to make me feel better? That's so sweet Harry. Thank you."

"You're welcome babe. I still shouldn't have given you false hope like-" Harry didn't get to finish his sentence as Hermione pushed him up against the side of a nearby building and kissed him hard, gently slipping her tongue into his mouth.

"Does that tell you how thankful I am?" she asked when she had broken the kiss. She winked at a clearly flustered (and slightly turned on) Harry and Disapparated. Harry shook his head to try to get himself under control. It only partially worked.

"Fuck, I'm going to need a cold shower when I get home. Damn." With one last look around he Disapparated too, following Hermione to Grimmauld Place.

* * *

><p>After making sure that he was indeed alone, Shadow reversed his Concealment Spell and came out into the open.<p>

"Finally! I was beginning to think they'd never leave! I don't care how powerful you are, hiding yourself in plain sight in the middle of a battle field like this isn't exactly easy. Unless you use a Disillusionment Charm of course. I might have to start doing that actually. I swear one of those damned Death Eaters saw me for a second."

He went to the Death Eater he had killed; he still had a snarl on his face. It was good that the Order assumed that another Death Eater accidentally hit him. It'd keep them from asking questions and further investigating what actually happened.

Shadow hated it when he was forced to take a life, even if it was to preserve the natural order. It helped when it was their time to go, and it was definitely this man's time to go, but he still hated it. Actually, he wasn't really supposed to end a life before their time anyway, but no one said anything when he did; of course it helped that he didn't abuse his power and that pretty much everyone else was at least slightly afraid of him. Still he only killed when it was absolutely necessary. He felt that it wasn't his job to end a life.

As Shadow looked around at the numerous mutilated bodies of the Death Eaters, and the complete absence of anyone from the Order of the Phoenix, he remembered a quote he once heard from a misguided fool: "It is man's destiny to suffer. How much is up to them."

"No," he said aloud, "it's not man's destiny to suffer. It's the destiny of man to fight overwhelming odds and change the course of the world."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: the usual applies, I don't own any of this.**

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><p><span><strong>Entertainment<strong>

_"We are going to remind these insects of their place."_

Voldemort watched as Malfoy struggled to cast the Killing Curse on the immobilized rat. He knew the boy had great potential, he would not have begun this arduous task of training him otherwise, but he was having trouble casting the curse. It didn't really surprise the Dark Lord; most people have trouble casting it the first time (he would never openly admit it to anyone but he did as well) and the vast majority of people who used the curse weren't seventeen, he of course being an exception. Still Malfoy had to learn to cast this curse. It was almost a requirement for his Death Eaters to be able to cast the Killing Curse.

"You've got to mean it Draco," Voldemort told him, echoing the words he told Harry Potter at the Ministry over a year ago. "Merely saying the words and waving your wand isn't good enough for this curse. You have to want them to die and you have to want to be the one who ends their life. Think of all your anger, your hatred, all your morbid desires. Think of them and use them Draco. Use them to do what you must."

Malfoy looked at the rat again and closed his eyes. He did as the Dark Lord commanded him. He thought of all the hatred and anger he felt at Potter for turning his father into a shell of a man and taking him away from him. He thought of how wonderful it would be to see Potter's dead, broken, bloody body laying at his feet. He opened his eyes and looked at the rat again. Only this time, it wasn't the rat he was looking at; it was Harry Potter, laying there for Malfoy to kill. So he did.

"Avada Kedavra," the blond teen said as a green light exploded from the end of his wand. The rat gave one loud squeak just before the curse hit it and was then forever silent. Voldemort laughed a cruel, high laugh as he watched his apprentice.

"Wonderful, Draco. I guess Wormtail still has his uses after all."

Without showing the slightest bit of remorse, Malfoy turned to Voldemort and asked, "My lord, was that-"

"One of his rat friends. I have no desire or need to eliminate Wormtail yet. I still have uses for him, other than being target practice for you. Draco, you're proving your worth to me even more. You're learning quicker than I anticipated. You still haven't passed a real test yet however. We will take care of that soon enough though. Now, we need to make sure that last curse was not a fluke." Voldemort summoned another rat and sat back and watched as Malfoy proceeded to kill it too. A dark sadistic smile broke out on the Dark Lord's face as he thought of all the possibilities for his young apprentice.

* * *

><p>"He won't like this Nott."<p>

"No he won't Travers, but what are you going to do? Leave? You know as well as I that abandoning the Dark Lord in any way, shape, or form is a death sentence. He hates deserters even more than he hates Potter."

"Telling him that we lost control of Hogsmeade to the Order is a death sentence too. And I wasn't suggesting that I want to leave. I just don't want to be the one to tell him that we were forced out of the village, especially since we fled in a panic after that kid was killed. I don't even know why that damned village is so special."

"It gives the Dark Lord an outlet to observe Hogwarts now and it'll give him even greater control over it during school. Not to mention it's another way to scare the public."

"But why do we need to be there now? I thought Snape was keeping him informed of everything going on at Hogwarts. And besides, can't Malfoy help him out during school? You and I both know that he's going back there to deal with Potter. I thought he'd be an extension of the Dark Lord's will too."

"First of all, Draco isn't going back to 'deal with Potter.' That honor belongs only to the Dark Lord himself and heaven help anyone who takes that away from him. To answer your question though, Draco can only do so much from within the school; that's why the Dark Lord needs an outside force nearby. And as far as Severus Snape is concerned, he's the Dark Lord's right hand now. He has more important tasks than remaining in that school all summer. With Dumbledore dead there's really nothing for him to spy on anyway."

"All right then, whatever. I'm more concerned with how we're going to get out of telling the Dark Lord about this without dying. Any bright ideas about that Nott?"

Let's just send one of the newer recruits to tell him. By the time he talks to the rest of us about it, he should be much calmer. I don't think we'll have anything to worry about later on, once he calms down some. Besides, if you think about it, it was their fault we lost that fight anyway. None of them fought together. All they cared about was earning the Dark Lord's praise; they didn't care about working together and watching each other's back. It's a good thing that Anton, or whatever the hell his name was, was killed before he killed Potter. You and I both know that he'd likely be in a million pieces after Lord Voldemort found out. And of course we'd probably share some of that blame ourselves. His wrath would be terrible and everyone who was there would feel it."

"True. So who do we send?"

"I don't know. I don't really care honestly. Let's just send that kid Carver. Everyone hates him anyway. This way we can get rid of him and we won't have to the Dark Lord what happened. We're doing everyone a favor really."

* * *

><p>Voldemort stood looking at the young man kneeling before him with nothing but disgust. He already didn't like the boy, from the end of his black ponytail to the very tips of his yellow, dirty fingernails. Now he was telling the Dark Lord that they had lost control of Hogsmeade to the Order of the Phoenix and he was denying his own failure. The kid had to know he was going to die, very few were fortunate enough to walk away after they had reported their failure to Voldemort, but at least he could die with some kind of dignity.<p>

"So you're telling me that the Order defeated my Death Eaters, my hand-picked Death Eaters I might add, and you're denying any failure on your part?"

"Yes-yes my lord." Carver's voice trembled as he spoke. "I-I fought as hard as I could and stood my ground when others fled. It wasn't my fault. I-"

"LIES!" Voldemort yelled, cutting him off. "Do not lie to Lord Voldemort. He can find out the truth. Now, look at me. Look. At. Me." When Carver finally looked up he found his mind assaulted by a very powerful Legilimency Spell. For a few moments he saw nothing but the end of the fight being replayed in his mind. "So your fellow Death Eater dies and you are among the first to flee the battlefield?" Voldemort said more than asked. "Pathetic. Apparently I was wrong when I decided to give you the mark. Well I will make sure to correct that mistake now. Draco." The young Malfoy came from his spot by Voldemort's throne. "Kill him."

"What? No!" Carver started begging for his life. "Malfoy-um, Draco, Draco, please let me go. We were in Slytherin together remember? Please have mercy Draco. It would've been foolish to stay there. Surely you understand."

"Just like my master, I have a very low tolerance for failure," Malfoy coldly responded. "I'm afraid that your pathetic attempt to plea for your life does nothing for you." Carver's face fell as he realized that Malfoy really was going to kill him.

"No. No! NO!" Malfoy allowed his former housemate to get to his feet and make a futile attempt at running for his life. He nearly reached the door before being hit by the Killing Curse. Malfoy smirked as he watched Carver's limp body fall to the floor after tripping over its own feet. It would have been even funnier if the situation wasn't so serious.

"Draco, we are going to have a meeting in response to this failure. Go to the main hall and wait for me there while I summon everyone else." Malfoy bowed his head in acceptance and respect and shuffled off to the main dining room, sitting at the right of Voldemort's chair. Fifteen minutes later the entirety of Voldemort's Death Eaters were seated around the table, most curious as to why their master would suddenly call a meeting, yet none were willing to ask. Finally Voldemort spoke to them and ended their curiosity.

"You are all here because we have just suffered a major loss: the loss of Hogsmeade Village. I have seen what happened for myself and, while it is obvious that it was partially due to the failure of several of those sitting in this very room, there is no denying that it is mostly due to the Order that we were forced out. Those of you who are to blame for this failure will be punished. However, we will not stand for the Order attacking us like this. On July thirtieth, one week from tonight, we are going to attack the house of those blood traitor Weasleys."

"Why them, my lord?" a young Death Eater dared to asked. "Wouldn't it be better to attack the Ministry? Why are we attacking there?"

"Because many of the members of the Order regularly frequent there," Malfoy responded. "Besides there's a very good chance that Potter's there too. We can kill two birds with one stone."

"Thanks Malfoy but I wasn't talking to you," the other Death Eater retorted. "I was addressing the Dark Lord."

"Draco has the authority to speak for me. He knows more than the majority of you sitting in this room."

"My lord, forgive me but, what has he done to deserve that right?" Voldemort looked at Travers and hesitated before answering him, trying to decide what exactly to tell him. The truth was that he was using the young Malfoy to get to Potter, as he had used so many others to get what he wanted over the years. He didn't want the boy to know that though and risk him rebelling. He knew he could force Draco to do whatever he wanted but it was more satisfactory this way. He finally decided on telling them part of the truth.

"Draco earned that right when he killed Albus Dumbledore. Aside from that he has a lot of potential and I intend to help him live up to that potential." No one attempted to challenge him further and no one contradicted that was Lucius and not Draco who really killed Dumbledore. "Now, as I was saying, we are going to put the Order in its place. We are going to remind those insects of their place. All they are is entertainment for us. They are alive because I allow them to live! I think that it is time that we teach them that."

The next half hour was spent going over exactly how they were going to teach the Order what their place was. None of the Death Eaters had ever seen their master get this detailed about a plan. Usually he just told them their orders and gave them the big picture, leaving them to decide on everything else themselves. He didn't care as long as the end result was what he wanted. There was no denying that Voldemort was leaving nothing to chance with this attack however. Everyone gathered in the room knew that the Dark Lord wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than the complete and utter deconstruction of the Order. They knew that, for all his bravado, the Order was a constant and major flaw in Voldemort's plans, a flaw that he fully intended to correct.

"Your final order for this task is to kill as many of the people there as possible. I do not care who they are or if they are actually part of the Order. Kill them all except for Harry Potter. He is mine alone to kill and I promise you all that if anyone else kills him you will wish you had never been born. Killing Potter will make me truly immortal and I want that honor for myself. Anyone else is a fair target though. Make them all realize how foolish they are to stand against Lord Voldemort!

"You have one week to prepare yourselves, then we strike. There will be no room for errors. You are all dismissed." The Death Eaters began filing out of the room, none of them eager to give their master any further reason to be upset with them. As Malfoy began to rise out of his seat Voldemort put his hand on his shoulder and gently pushed the boy back down. "Wait Draco; I have something very important to discuss with you." He waited until they were alone before continuing.

"Despite what I told them, I honestly doubt we will kill many of the Order next week. Loathe though I am to admit it, there are many powerful witches and wizards among them and the Ministry is on their side, for now at least. As much as I would like to kill Potter too, next week is not his time. Both of those comments for motivation more than actual orders. Among other things, the attack will be the test for you that I mentioned earlier. I want to know how you will react under that kind of pressure and I want you to defeat Potter. Imagine what it will do to the Order when you defeat him. In order for this to work however, I cannot risk you coming into the battle too soon and being harmed. Stay hidden until I signal you to join. Do NOT do anything until I say otherwise. One way or another, the Order of the Phoenix will suffer next week."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I apologize for how short this chapter was. It's important to the story but it's too long to be stuck onto the last chapter and too important to be tacked onto the beginning of the next chapter. The good news is that the next chapter should be up in a couple of weeks at the most. And a word of warning, mainly for those who don't have an account, the rating will go up next chapter so look for it under M instead of T. Thank you all for reading and following this story so far!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes:**

**LordFira: I apologize if the dream confused you but I'll warn you now that that is the way I write. I attempt to write things in a professional manner, meaning that I won't give any indication that something isn't real. I want this story to feel more like an actual book. You don't have to worry about things that like happening too often, but there will be more. I do appreciate the feedback and I'll try not to make it quite so confusing next time.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, though I really wish I did.**

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><p><strong>This is Gonna Hurt<strong>

_"Still, I wouldn't have even considered him if I didn't think he'd be a good leader."_

Harry was stretched out on one of the couches in the den at Grimmauld Place with his head in Hermione's lap. He was watching the television they had bought and magically set up the day before. Hermione was occasionally stealing glances at it while writing down all the important things she could remember from their first year onward. While Harry thought this was a complete waste of time, Hermione justified it by saying that after Voldemort was finally defeated there would be many people who would want to write the biography of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley, Harry more so than the other two, and she would rather have what really happened all ready for them on parchment. Momentarily abandoning the television, Harry watched as Hermione chewed on her bottom lip, deep in thought.

"Are you done yet?" he asked, making her jump slightly. She lightly smacked his forehead before answering him.

"Almost. I want to finish up with third year. It shouldn't take much longer. I'm at the point where we met Sirius. Why?"

"No reason," Harry responded, shrugging. "I just wondered how much longer you were going to be. You've been writing for the past hour. I thought maybe you were getting tired. And I know of something better you could be doing with your mouth besides chewing off your bottom lip."

"You don't like when I do that?"

"Quite the contrary, I think you look really cute when you do that. That doesn't mean I don't know of something better you could be doing with your mouth."

"I thought I did when I woke you up this morning. I know that Harry Jr. liked it."

"Oh really? Did he tell you that?"

"Yeah, he told me right about the time he gave me something to swallow."

"Hmm, well he speaks for both of us because that was absolutely amazing, I can't deny that. That wasn't what I was talking about though. While that was great, I don't want to abuse the privilege. I was thinking more along this line." With that Harry leaned up and captured her lips with his. Hermione resisted for only a few seconds before matching his intensity, dropping her quill and parchment beside her on the couch. Soon their tongues were wrestling each other, further deepening the kiss. Before they could go any further though, a familiar voice rang out.

"Honey, I'm home!" Harry groaned as it immediately dawned on him that Ron had just arrived. The second day that he had come over (after walking in on them with their tongues halfway down each other's throats) he came up with the idea to yell out the greeting so they would know it was him and he could wait for them in the kitchen.

"Why did he have to come over now? Why couldn't he wait for just one more hour?" Hermione rose her eyebrows.

"What did you think was going to happen Harry? Did you think we were finally going to shag? Haha, not yet babe. I promise the wait will be worth it though. And it'll take longer than an hour," she added, giving Harry a wink. His jaw dropped open and he stood paralyzed to the spot as Hermione began walking out of the room. Upon reaching the doorway she turned and looked at him. "Coming?" she asked, flashing her now trademark mischievous grin. Harry shook his head and walked over to her.

"Did you tease Krum like this?" he queried as he took her hand. Hermione burst into laughter.

"Krum? Victor Krum? Hahaha, Harry we were just friends, that's it. I'll admit that I did kiss him once, just once, but that's it. Even then the biggest reason I did was so he'd leave me alone about it; he just wouldn't stop begging! I almost lost my mind! Trust me, I didn't enjoy that kiss and I certainly wouldn't do any of the kind of stuff I do with you with him." Ron turned to greet them as he heard them coming into the kitchen.

"Hey you two, what's-um..." He started babbling when he noticed that Hermione was wearing a very tight t-shirt and the shortest shorts he had ever seen on her, or on anyone else for that matter. "Hermione, could you please, _please_ change into something else? Something not quite as sensual?" he practically begged as he turned back around to avoid looking at her. Hermione giggled and gave Harry a quick kiss before retreating to their room to change. "So how is it now that you two are completely by yourselves?"

"Honestly, if Hermione was a normal girl I'd have probably gone insane by now," Harry began as they sat down at the table. "But Hermione's well, Hermione. Most girls would have so many clothes that you couldn't enlarge a closet big enough. She and I have all of our clothes in one closet and we still have space left over. I will say it's a good thing we have so many rooms that we don't use because we had to turn one into a library. That's how many books she has mate. We use it as a study too, so it serves us both I guess; it'll especially be good for doing our homework during school."

"So McGonagall really is letting you two live here during school?" Harry nodded. "I thought you were just joking when you mentioned it earlier. I bet that makes you two happy doesn't it?" Before Harry could answer, Hermione came back in wearing a pair of tight jeans and a shirt that was indeed looser than her previous one, if only slightly.

"Is this better?" she asked the red head as she sat down beside Harry. Ron gave an exasperated sigh before responding.

"I guess it's a little better but it still makes me thankful that Harry can't read my mind."

"Who says I can't?" Ron's face fell as Harry's implication hit him.

"You can do Legilimency now? So that means you can invade my mind?"

"Yes but I'm not going to. Aside from the fact that you're my best mate I don't want to. Invading the mind of those you trust is an action reserved for Snape and Voldemort."

"What about Dumbledore?" Hermione questioned. "He did shit like that too didn't he?"

"Dumbledore didn't invade your mind as much as he just poked and prodded. He knew how far he could go. Invading the mind of another isn't something done carelessly or when there's nothing to gain. Dumbledore knew that. Besides, he was respectful of others' privacy."

"Well never mind that now. How did you learn Legilimency?"

"Hermione of course. The two of us have been practicing for a while. She helped me finally learn Occlumency too. She's a much better teacher than Snape. Look Ron, don't take this the wrong way, but did you come over here for a specific reason? You usually let us know ahead of time that you're coming. Is something wrong?"

"Not really. Moody was just at the house and he wanted me to give you a message. The three of us have been specifically ordered to not attend the meeting tomorrow. It's not just us either. Apparently only the ones who were in the Order the first time need to be there." Harry raised his eyebrows at Hermione, who nodded, sharing his train of thought. "Ginny and I have already made plans with Tonks, if you two want to join us."

"Actually Ron, I think Harry and I are going to have our second date tomorrow night," Hermione responded. "Thanks for inviting us but we hadn't really had much time to be a couple lately and we'd like some time to ourselves. Sorry."

"No, it's alright. You don't have to apologize for anything. Ginny and I both thought you'd want to do something together, but we still thought we'd offer anyway. Tonks didn't even want to ask. Hell, she said that she'd curse you if you actually did come with us. We all understand." For the next hour the three of them sat around the table talking, joking, laughing, and for once acting more like teenagers than adults. At five o'clock, Ron Flooed back to the Burrow, not willing to miss dinner despite his continued anger at his mother.

"Do you just want to get some take out" Harry asked Hermione when Ron was gone. "I don't feel like cooking tonight and I know you really don't want to either."

"That sounds great babe. Do you want me to get it?"

No, I'll go. You stay here and keep writing our biographies. I want to talk about tomorrow night when you're finished." He gave her a quick kiss before walking out the door and Disapparating to the nearest fast food restaurant.

* * *

><p>The next night at seven o'clock found Harry in the bedroom putting the finishing touches on his date apparel. At Hermione's insistence he was wearing a pair of jeans and a semi-formal button-up, collared shirt. She had been able to convince him that people were far more likely to pay attention to his shirt than his pants as long as they looked decent and jeans went with just about everything anyway. He had somehow managed to get his hair to lie somewhat flat, or at least flatter than usual, and was just finishing tying up his shoes. He checked his watch again and sighed. They needed to leave soon but he wasn't going to say anything. He knew that Hermione was well aware of the time and that she would be the last person to make them late. Still, he did wish that she would hurry up; after all, he was getting tired of waiting. He didn't have to wait much longer however as she emerged from the bathroom at that very moment, wearing black high heels and a tight, black dress that was so short that Harry could almost see the thong he knew she was wearing underneath it.<p>

"Uh, 'Mione, sweetheart, not that I'm complaining about what you're wearing, because it's really fucking hot, aren't you worried about guys staring at you all night?"

"Hmm, I know you'll stare at me all night and that's the point. I don't care about any other guys and what they may or may not stare at."

"Well I do. I don't want every guy who looks at you drooling over you all night."

"So why don't you protect me then?" she asked as she pulled her hair to the one side and started putting on her earrings. "That's one of the guy's jobs right? To protect his date?"

"Well, yeah among others, but we're just going to dinner and a movie. Besides I'm worried I may have to kill someone with you dressed like that."

"Hah, I'll chance it," she told him, her intricate earrings now in place. "At any rate, I think that's sweet. Not that you'll kill someone but that you're willing to protect me so. And I promise you that if you protect me well enough I'll make sure you're well rewarded." She lightly squeezed his slightly engorged member for emphasis. Being a typical teenage boy, Harry suddenly had all the encouragement he needed to protect Hermione. Eager to eventually receive his promised reward, he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of the house. Ten minutes later they were seated at the restaurant, patiently waiting for their food.

"I told you I might kill someone. Did you see the way that waiter was looking at you?"

"Mmm, I wasn't paying attention. All I was worried about was you watching my arse sway as I walked."

"Well it looks even better than usual in that dress. I don't like that waiter staring at it though."

"Oh babe forget about him. He can look all he wants but you're the only one who gets to touch." To emphasize her point, she raised up out of her seat and put Harry's hand on her shapely rear before taking her seat again. She was slightly disappointed when Harry moved his hand at the last second. It did seem to calm him down though.

"So what movie do you want to see?" he asked. Hermione shrugged.

"I don't know honestly. What do you want to see?"

"Well they're showing the final 'Twilight' movie," he suggested. He didn't want to see it all but he remembered Hermione mentioning that she had seen all the others with her siblings when the commercial had come on for "Breaking Dawn" a few days ago.

"Please can we go see anything but that?" she begged. "I don't want to go see a movie about fucking vampires that fucking sparkle in the damn sunlight or fucking werewolves that change whenever they want to in burst of fucking leaves or whiny little bitch who can't decide between the two. I only went to because Chris and Amy wanted to go and I usually snuck into another movie. The only one I've seen all of was the first one. I couldn't even finish the first book."

"Hermione Granger couldn't finish reading a book?" Harry asked in genuine disbelief.

"That's the only book I've never finished. That fucking bitch Stephanie Meyer has absolutely no idea about our world. It's insulting honestly. Besides it's like it's written by a fucking fourteen-year-old who talks like she's one hundred and fourteen. Why don't we go see 'V for Vendetta?' I think they're showing that one again aren't they?"

"I think so. I'd like to go see that too. I never did get to watch it the first time it was out. Vernon and Petunia let Dudley watch it but not me, as usual."

"You'll love it sweetheart. I's basically about a guy fighting back against a corrupt government, similar to how we're fighting against Voldemort. I won't say anything else though. Now where the hell is our food at?"

* * *

><p>At the Weasley household Ron, Ginny, and Tonks had been gone for a couple of hours and the Order meeting was just getting starting. Everyone was there except for Harry, Hermione, Ron, Tonks, and Severus Snape. Contrary to what Moody had told Tonks, he really did want everyone except for the three newest members at the meeting. The only reason he told her not to attend was to not arouse suspicion from the other three. This decision was the single most important one they were going to make since Dumbledore's death and he did make sure to get Tonks' input.<p>

"Alright, everyone settle down. This is an important meeting and we need to get through it as quickly as possible. Now, as some of you already know, it was Dumbledore's wish for Potter to become the new leader of the Order. After seeing not only his power but his leadership last week, I think that now is the time for him to accept that role."

"No," Mrs. Weasley said, so soft that she was barely heard.

"I'm sorry?" Moody responded.

"No," Mrs. Weasley said again, louder and more forceful this time. "I won't allow Harry to be our leader. He doesn't have any leadership experience and at any rate he's too young. He's just a boy."

"Is he?" Remus challenged. "He's only a boy physically, Molly. Mentally and emotionally he's older than some of us in this very room. He's damn sure acting older than you have been lately. And how can you say he had no leadership experience? In case you've forgotten he led a successful rebellion at Hogwarts in his fifth year. There were students who were older than him who listened to him."

"That's right Mum," Fred added. "He was a great leader then. He was Quidditch Captain last year too. That says something about him being a leader."

"I wanted to make him a prefect," McGonagall began, "but I didn't because Albus thought that he had enough to deal with fifth year. Still, I wouldn't have even considered him if I didn't think he'd be a good leader. That's why I've decided to make him Head Boy this year."

"You see Molly?" Remus continued." We all have faith in Harry. You're the only one who doubts his leadership. Actually you're the only one here who has a problem with him at all. The rest of us have complete faith in him."

"I have as much faith in Harry as the rest of you!" Mrs. Weasley responded as she stood up. "I don't doubt him but I want to keep him safe, which the rest you don't seem to care about."

"You're accusing us of not caring about Harry's safety?" Remus demanded, as he too rose to his feet. He moved towards Mrs. Weasley until his face was mere inches away from hers. "We all care about him being safe, that's why we do many of the things we do now and have done over the past two years. Furthermore, he's the son of two of my best friends and the godson of my other best friend; I consider Harry my own son. To suggest that I don't care about Harry's safety is like saying that you don't care about Ginny's safety. The rest of us have just realized what you still haven't figured out yet."

"Which is what?!" Mrs. Weasley practically screamed.

"First of all, Voldemort wants Harry dead and he will hunt him down no matter what. Harry's not safe anyway, whether he's the leader of the Order or in hiding. What would you have him do, hide away somewhere while the rest of us fight for him? That's not who Harry is and the sooner you realize that and go along with it, the better. He won't hide and let everyone else risk their life, especially if it's for him. Second of all, even when Dumbledore was alive we needed Harry to finally defeat Voldemort. Now that Dumbledore's gone we need Harry more than ever; many people believe that he really is the Chosen One. With those two things in mind, what's the point in coddling him?" Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to retaliate but found that she couldn't bring herself to. She hated to admit it, but Remus made complete sense. With a huff she walked out of the room and Remus returned to his seat, pleased with himself for being able to stand up for Harry as he had.

"I guess we know where Molly stands," Moody commented. "I want to know everyone else's opinion on this matter as well though." Before he could say or do anything else an all too familiar voice rang out from outside the Burrow.

"Members of the Order of the Phoenix," Voldemort began, "I know that you are in there. If you all are as brave as you appear then come outside and face me and my Death Eaters right now." When no one answered his call Voldemort added, "If no one comes out here in five minutes then we will be forced to take our fight to the surrounding area. You would not want to be responsible for the loss of so many innocent lives would you?"

"We can't fight that many of them," Moody said as he quickly counted from the window. "They outnumber us by at least four to one. I doubt that any of us would walk away."

"Mad-Eye, why can't one us Floo to the Ministry and get aid from the Aurors?" Kingsley asked. "They'd jump at a chance like this. It's the best opportunity they'll have to strike a major blow in this war."

"I'll go," Mr. Weasley volunteered before anyone else could say anything. "We don't have time to debate whether or not we should do this and who should go. Besides, as head of the household, if I go there myself it should make them realize how serious the situation is." Without waiting for an answer from anyone, he went downstairs and disappeared into the fireplace. With the hope that the Ministry would listen to Author and send the requested Aurors, the others could only sit and wait behind their protective enchantments. Five minutes had passed and there was still no sign of Author Weasley or any Aurors. There was no doubt that Voldemort was serious about his threat however.

"None of you are willing to face us?" he questioned. "Pity. I guess you are not as brave as you pretend." The Death Eaters began laughing mockingly at the Order. "Those that you have strived to protect will pay the price then, since none of you will come out here and-"

"I will," Kingsley declared, as he stepped out of the house.

"So will I," Remus said as he joined his friend and fellow Order member.

"We will." Fred and George took up positions on either side of the two older wizards. One by one, everyone in the house stepped outside, standing in defiance of Voldemort.

"Brave, but foolish," the Dark Lord told them. "You will all die here tonight."

"Will we?" Arthur Weasley asked as he Apparated behind the Death Eaters. "You may have us outnumbered but we have something you don't: the support of the Ministry." With that, no less than fifty Aurors Apparated behind Mr. Weasley, almost tripling the Order's numbers. In an instant the Death Eaters, who had been overwhelmingly confident, nearly lost their nerve and panicked. Only the presence of their master reassured them.

* * *

><p>Shadow stood by in the shadows, waiting on tether hooks for the events he knew were going to happen. As much as he wanted to help the Order, this was a moment that he had been specifically forbidden from interfering with. The events and the deaths that were going to happen in this battle were too woven into Fate for anyone to interfere with. That didn't mean that he was happy about sitting back and letting things unfold as they would. He knew that only one thing would decide the victor in this battle and that was the most important thing, even at the cost of everything else. As Shadow looked around though he couldn't help but think of how things could be different if only he was allowed to help in this battle. Only one thought occupied his mind.<p>

"This is gonna hurt," he said aloud. "Nothing will be the same after tonight. The real war will both begin and end here."

* * *

><p>For several long minutes there was a standoff between the two forces. It seemed that neither side was willing to start the impending battle; whether it was because of fear or self-preservation no one knew. Everyone knew that many of them wouldn't survive the night. Neither side could back down, though admittedly neither side wanted to. The Order and the Ministry knew that this was their chance to strike the biggest blow to Voldemort since the beginning of the war, while the Death Eaters wanted to make a statement. In the midst of this standoff, Ron, Ginny, and Tonks returned from their night out, much sooner than anyone had anticipated.<p>

"I'm sorry I got us thrown out but what the hell was I supposed to do?" Ron was asking the other two. "I know that you can handle yourself 'Dora but-what the fuck?!" he yelled when he noticed the group in front of his house. He noticed just in time; it was at that moment that several Death Eaters chose to attack the three of them. He ducked down, dragging the other two with him, before retaking a standing position and retaliating against his attackers, knocking five of them to the ground with a side sweep of his wand and the accompanying incantation _Ventiaurus_.

Ron wouldn't know it until later, but his actions had just started what would later be known as the Battle of the Burrow. The Order, seeing an unprovoked attack on one of their members, wanted retaliation while the Death Eaters wanted revenge for their own fallen allies. What neither side could know was that this battle would be the most important one up to that point and would have an incredible impact on the rest of the war. At that point in time though, no one there even cared about any of that.

As soon as Ron's spell hit, Ginny and Tonks launched their own spells, each knocking out another Death Eater. For several seconds everyone was quiet until Voldemort screamed and sent a Killing Curse towards Ron, who managed to dodge it. That one act by the Dark Lord sent the battle field into chaos, as most people scrambled to find some kind of cover while some actually stood their ground and started firing off spells. The majority of them were quickly cut down. Despite all the chaos, Molly Weasley attempted to make her way to her daughter, desperate to keep her out of the fighting.

"Ginny? Ginny!" The young Witch in question fired another spell that found its mark before addressing her mother. "You need to get back inside. It's safe there."

"Fuck that," Ginny responded. "It's not any safer in there than it is out here. Besides I can actually do something out here." As if to prove her point, she Stunned another Death Eater. "You need all the help you can get now." She turned to face her mother and was lucky enough to see and dodge a Killing Curse that was just sent to her, an act that earned Ron's ire.

"No one does that to my sister! _Confringo_!" he yelled, pointing his wand at the Death Eater who dared to try to kill Ginny. The man didn't duck quickly enough to save his life; the spell collided with his head, causing it to explode and shower everyone around him in blood and gore. "Don't threaten my sister like that again. _Avada Kadevra_!" This time, the spell found its mark, eliminating yet another of Voldemort's followers. "We need Harry and Hermione here!" Ron exclaimed, realizing their situation. "The two of them are powerful enough that they can give us the advantage. And they're two of the only ones here willing to use the same type of spells that's being used against us. Is there any way we can get a message to them?"

"I've got it Ron," Tonks told him. She summoned her Patronus and sent it to find Harry and Hermione. "They should be here soon. We just have to continue holding out until they make it." They didn't have to wait long before the two teens arrived, incapacitating the majority of the Death Eaters around them with a blast of powerful lightning. Harry followed that up by saying the incantation _Flagelle Igneo_ and moving his wand in a whip-like motion, causing an actual whip of fire to materialize from the end, which he brandished as a weapon. Hermione took a more aggressive approach, using her newly developed Bone Breaking Curse to full effect. Their arrival had an immediately bolstering affect on the Order members.

"It's about bloody time you got here, Potter," Mundungus told him. Focused as he was on Harry, Mundungus never saw the curse sent by Nott that ended his life. His death greatly angered the members of the Order, many of whom responded with particularly nasty spells. Their aggressive actions finally clued Voldemort in on the fact that Harry was now present. He sent up a shower of sparks that exploded with the sound of fireworks before speaking to the younger wizard.

"So you finally decided to show up Potter. Did you start to feel bad because everyone else was fighting and dying for you while you hid?"

"Actually I wasn't aware of any of this until just now. I didn't expect you to grow some balls and start attacking us like a man instead of using your usual cowardly tactics. Good job Tom. I'm proud of you." It took all of Voldemort's willpower not to attack Harry. As much as he wanted to put the boy in his place for his insolence, he wanted to test Malfoy even more. Besides, he knew that he would get another chance to kill the boy sooner or later. He knew that he had to distract Harry for another minute or so though.

"You call Lord Voldemort a coward after the way you attacked my Death Eaters last week?"

"That would be a good point if we weren't at a numerical-argh!" Harry didn't get the chance to finish his explanation as he was hit by a Cruciatus Curse sent by Malfoy. Incapacitated as he was by the pain, Harry was only vaguely aware of Voldemort laughing at him and Malfoy mocking him. Fortunately for him he wasn't alone; Hermione saw what had happened and sent a Stunning Spell towards Malfoy. Even though she missed, Malfoy had to break his spell when he threw himself to the ground to avoid being Stunned.

"You filthy little Mudblood!" Draco yelled. "_Avada_-"

"Malfoy!" Harry bellowed as he shakily made his way to his feet. "Leave her alone; your battle is with me. If you hurt her I swear you'll beg for mercy before I'm through with you."

"Hah, you don't have the heart Potter." Harry looked at Malfoy with a menacing smirk.

"_Fulmisium Pilas_!" he yelled as he made a circle with his wand before pointing it at Malfoy. A ball of lightning erupted from the wand and flew towards Voldemort's apprentice at an incredible speed, leaving him no choice but to throw himself on the ground again; behind him the lightning ball exploded as it hit the ground. From his position on the ground Malfoy tried to blast his opponent off his feet, only to have Harry block it with a Shield Charm. "You're not strong enough yet, Malfoy," he told the blond haired boy. "Your master will be disappointed. Let me show you how it should be done. _Descendio_!" Malfoy was slammed so hard into the ground that he bounced five feet into the air before hitting the ground again, unconscious as blood trickled from his mouth.

"You should train your apprentice better," Harry told Voldemort as he turned to face him. "Even I could do better than that, Tom."

"You dare to use that name again? _Avada Kadevra_!" Harry dodged the spell and sent his own to the Dark Lord. Voldemort erected a Shield and watched as Harry's spell dissipated against it. Hermione chose that moment to send a Stunning Spell towards Voldemort, which he only had time to dodge. Before he could retaliate, Harry took advantage of his divided attention to try and Disarm Voldemort, only for it to make contact with the still erected Shield. Ron immediately sent another spell to Voldemort, which he also dodged. The Dark Lord realized that these three, while inexperienced, were already powerful (more so than the last time he fought them, at least) and they could prove problematic in this battle, even if they couldn't yet defeat him.

"We will have to continue this later," he said to them. "You win for now, Potter. Someone grab Draco; we're leaving!" In an instant, Nott was by Malfoy's side and as one, Voldemort and his Death Eaters Disapparated, leaving the Order and Aurors to mourn their dead. With everything that had happened that night Harry had lost track of the time and didn't realize that it was past midnight. There was one person who did though.

"Happy birthday Harry," Hermione told him. She wrapped her arms around him and engulfed him in a very sensual kiss, not caring that they were in the presence of nearly thirty Aurors and every member of the Order.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: First of all, I want to apologize if I've offended anyone who really loves the <strong>_**Twilight**_** series. I'm not a fan of it, and therefore my characters aren't. Again, if I've offended anyone, I apologize. Second of all, I want to clarify the number of Death Eaters and Order members. I know these aren't the same as the book but there's about 32 members in the Order at the beginning of this chapter and 27 are present at the meeting. Following Moody's assessment of the odds, there's at least 104 Death Eaters. There's actually 112 (a multiple of 7), not counting Voldemort. With the (known) deaths in this chapter that bring the count to 31 Order members and 110 Death Eaters.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Notes: This chapter is my first attempt at a sex scene so I apologize in advance if it's not up to standards. **

**tumshie: I'm well aware that the Twilight series wasn't out in the Harry Potter timeline, having done plenty of research on the subject, but it is in my timeline.**

**SiriusT: Hermione saying "fuck" four times isn't a critique of Twilight as much as it's my way of changing her character. She's more insulted than critiquing at this point.**

**LordNemesis: I'm sorry that you hate draws but they do happen in real life and since I attempt to make my stories as realistic as possible there will be draws in this story from time to time. As for this battle, the Order and the Ministry won a psychological victory when Harry made Voldemort retreat while Voldemort and the Death Eaters won a physical victory due to the casualties they inflicted. Psychological victories are more important than physical ones, ergo the Order and the Ministry won. As for your assessment of Shadow, I assume that you got the idea from Hermione's dream but that's not right at all. As I said before, Shadow is definitely not Harry and who he really is will be revealed later.**

**jadesabrexiv: For consistence's sake they will get everything that was left to them in the will, since everything that happened before the beginning of this story follows canon and I'm assuming that Dumbledore had already had the will made. Since I've already ascertained that they'll be returning to Hogwarts instead of blindly traveling around the country, there's no reason for Ron to need the Deluminator. The Hallows will be present in this story but they won't have a significant role (since I see them as more of a deus ex machina device than anything), so the book and the Snitch won't be as important either. So the short answer to your question is yes, they'll still get the items from Dumbledore's will but they'll be keepsakes more than anything else and won't have that big of an impact on the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Lips of an Angel<strong>

_"But there's a lot that Scrimgeour keeps to himself, especially here lately."_

Harry stood rooted to the spot as Hermione drew away from him, shock written all over his face. After a few seconds though, a grin broke his features.

"I had forgotten about it. Thanks babe." Hermione was going to tell him something else when she noticed an Auror coming over to them.

"Mr. Potter, could you come over here please? We'd like to talk to you about tonight's events."

"Sure," Harry unenthusiastically replied. He took Hermione's hand and started to the indicated area.

"Uh, actually I was instructed to bring just you Mr. Potter." Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine. Just give me a minute."

"Time really is of the essence here."

"I said give me a minute!" Harry barked. "Nothing you want is so important that you can't wait for one more minute! Now back the fuck off!" The Auror retreated several yards, clearly unhappy that the young teen had just yelled at him. Harry turned back to Hermione. "Look 'Mione, I don't know how long I'll be here so why don't you go on home? There's no sense in you just standing around here waiting on me when you could be comfortable and relaxed at Grimmauld Place. I'll be there as soon as I'm finished."

"Alright, if that's what you want. I don't like just waiting at home but if they don't want me to be there then I guess you're right. I just want to say something to Ron, Ginny, and Dora first."

"That sounds great. I'll be home as soon as I can." They gave each other a quick kiss and started to go their separate ways before Harry suddenly turned back around. "Hermione." Upon hearing him say her full name she slightly frowned. He never called her that to her face anymore unless it was something serious. Immediately curious, and somewhat fearful, she turned back around and faced him. "Listen," he began, as he closed the gap between them, "I know this isn't the most romantic place to say this for the first time, and I probably shouldn't say it in front of all these people we don't know, but I love you Hermione." The widest smile Harry had ever seen slowly spread over Hermione's face.

"You love me? Really Harry?" He nodded once, a small smile adorning his own features again. "I love you too." Harry's smile grew bigger and he pulled Hermione into a passionate kiss. He broke it sooner than either of them would have liked, not willing to test the Aurors' patience. Hermione watched him go before she turned around and resumed her search for Ron, Ginny, and Tonks, the smile never leaving her face. She soon spotted the three near the front door of the Burrow and made her way over to them.

"What are you so happy about?" Ron asked, "You're glowing."

"Harry just told me he loves me." Ginny gasped.

"Really? Hermione that's so sweet. I'm so happy for you two,"

"He told you he loves you for the first time here? Why here of all places? That takes out a lot of the romance doesn't it?"

"You know Dora, sometimes I think that you and Harry share the same brain. He said the same thing before he told me. I don't care about that though. All that matters to me is that my boyfriend told me he loves me."

"I wonder if she'll be any good for anything now."

"Oh shut up Ron. You're just jealous because Lavender doesn't call you 'Won-Won' anymore." Ron's ears went pink at that comment. "Anyway, the reason I came over here was to make sure that you three are still coming."

"We'll be there, don't worry. Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, and Dad will be there too and I think that Mum's going to show up so she can try to make things right with you two. Who else is coming?"

"I think Hagrid is. I know that Remus will be there; I didn't give him much of a choice honestly, not that he needed much convincing anyway. I think Mad-Eye and Kingsley are going to stop by for a while and I know for a fact that McGonagall will be there, if only for a few minutes. Other than that I don't really know."

"Are you sure that this is still a good idea Hermione? He might not feel like celebrating after tonight. Mundungus wasn't everyone's favorite Order member but he was still a member and we lost him tonight. Not to mention all the Aurors that were killed too."

"Yes, I'm sure it's still a good idea Ron. Everyone needs this right now, not just Harry. What happened tonight was terrible, no one is denying that, but we can't let grief get the better of us. We'll have time to grieve for Mundungus and the Aurors later. For now we should celebrate what we can. I understand what you're talking about but you know as well as I that if we let everyone grieve then Harry will start to blame himself and he'll get depressed about it. I've seen it too many times before and I refuse to let it happen this time too; I love him too much."

"Easy, easy Hermione." Ron pulled her into a hug. "You're right. We'll have the party. He deserves it. It'll be alright. We won't let him fall into that rut again." Hermione pecked him on the cheek, whispered a quick "thank you," and Disapparated back to Grimmauld Place.

Harry wasn't at all aware of what had just transpired between Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Tonks; his attention was being solely occupied by the Aurors. Even though he was much younger than any of the present Aurors, not to mention he was only a civilian, they apparently valued his opinion a lot. While Harry was glad to finally be treated like an adult, not to mention that the Ministry was finally willing to work with him instead of just use him, he was irritated at their continuous questions.

"So you have no idea why You-Know-Who attacked tonight?" Harry shook his head "no," not trusting himself to not explode at yet another Auror. "And you don't know what he wanted, other than you of course?" Harry again shook his head, biting his tongue to keep from yelling. The Auror sighed before saying, "Very well Mr. Potter, thank you for your cooperation. You're free to go."

"What are you going to do about the Death Eaters who we've captured tonight?" Harry quickly asked.

"I apologize Mr. Potter but I can't discuss that with you."

"You just asked me the same five questions five times each, so I think I've earned an answer. Besides, the Minister wants me to start cooperating with the Ministry. Do you think that he'll be happy to learn that you caused me to continue to oppose them?"

The Auror sighed again before telling him, "They'll be sent to Azkaban, as per the usual procedure."

"Why though?" Harry asked. "If you do that then Voldemort will break them out in a few days and we'll be right back where we started."

"I apologize Mr. Potter but that's all that we're authorized to do."

That's all you're authorized to do? Look around you!" Harry roared. "Over twenty Aurors died tonight and you're basically letting their killers walk free!" The only thing that stopped Harry's tirade was Ron's hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, mate." Upon hearing Harry's yells, the head of the Auror department, Gawain Robards, also made his way over to the teen.

"What's the problem here, Mr. Potter?"

"You're letting these murderers walk free, that's the fucking problem! You're going to send them to Azkaban and then Voldemort will break them out again in a few days. That's not justice!"

"Give us some space," Robards told the other Aurors. "I share your frustration Mr. Potter. I wish we could do more to them too. But you know as well as I that only the Minister can authorize that and so far Scrimgeour hasn't shown the slightest hint of doing so. I think he wants to prove that we're better than You-Know-Who. I'm going to talk to him about it soon though."

"So will I," Harry responded. "In the end image doesn't mean a fucking thing. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are trying to kill us and we need to be able to do the same thing to them."

"So what's going to happen to those of us who killed during the battle?" Ron interjected.

"The battlefield was large and chaotic. Neither me nor any of my Aurors saw anything." With a small smile he turned to leave.

"Before you go I have one more question," Harry blurted. Robards turned back around and faced the younger wizard, effectively given him permission to ask his question. "As head of the Auror department you must be rather important, especially now. Why would you risk your life here in this battle tonight when you didn't have to?"

"Arthur's a person friend, Mr. Potter. Besides, I want that son of a bitch defeated too. I'm more than willing to sacrifice my safety, and indeed my life if it should come to that, in order to see that happen. Much the same as you would I believe. Now if you two will excuse me, I really must be on my way. We have a lot to do." He bid them both goodbye and went back to the rest of the Aurors. Ron turned to Harry.

"You alright mate?"

"Not really. It makes me so damn mad knowing that they're all going to be back with Voldemort again soon because Scrimgeour is worried about his image. It's like this battle and the deaths that went along with it were for absolutely nothing. I'm really tired too and that's not helping. I think I'm going home and going to bed. I'll see you later mate." After Ron said his own goodbye, Harry Apparated to Grimmauld Place where he stripped down to his boxers and fell into bed beside an already sleeping Hermione. Within minutes he had followed her into dreamland.

* * *

><p>Shadow understood Harry's anger. He hated that these Death Eaters were basically going to be set free too. The very thought undermined the victory that the Order and the Aurors had won that night, not to mention all the deaths that had occurred, as Harry had said. What made him even angrier was the fact that he knew what was going to happen in that battle and he could have helped save some of those lives. That wasn't even the worst of it; the worst part was knowing that everything that had happened in the battle was necessary and that the Death Eaters escaping from Azkaban could potentially negate the entire events of the battle.<p>

He knew that there was still a small chance that the inevitable breakout from Azkaban wouldn't be a big deal. It all depended on Rufus Scrimgeour and the way he handled the situation. The problem was he didn't exactly have the best record for dealing with situations like this, a trait that seemed much too prevalent in the past few Ministers. Everything would be decided in less than forty-eight hours. Shadow knew that Harry would follow through with his declaration to talk to Scrimgeour and how Scrimgeour reacted to Harry's advice would be the deciding factor; if he listened to the young wizard then the breakout wouldn't be a big deal but if he didn't then the stage would be perfectly set up for something terrible to happen.

"The board is set. The pieces are moving. Hopefully they'll move in the correct positions." Shadow was startled out of his musings by the presence of an Auror who happened to spot him.

"I thought you left Mr. Potter," the Auror began.

"Damn," Shadow thought. He wanted to stay longer and attempt to find out more details but he couldn't now. Before the Auror had gotten much closer to him, he had Disapparated.

* * *

><p>Harry awoke the next morning to a wonderfully familiar sensation: Hermione's fist wrapped firmly around his morning erection. He gave a noise of pleasure, causing Hermione to slightly jump. He didn't mean to startle her but she didn't pay much attention to anything else when she was pleasuring him; it was hard not to take her by surprise. She didn't seem to mind though since she immediately took him into her warm, wet mouth. Harry hissed his approval and grabbed her mane of hair in both hands. As his pleasure built he reached around to hold her breasts through her bra, only to find that she wasn't wearing one. Curious, he looked over her head to find that she was completely naked.<p>

"You didn't go to bed like that did you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Mm-mmm," Hermione hummed around him. She released his cock long enough to tell him, "I took off my bra and thong as soon as I woke up," before engulfing it again. She attacked him with increased vigor, determined to get her salty treat. Before long she had Harry writhing above her and given the reward she so desperately sought. As he erupted into her mouth she struggled to swallow all of his cum. When he stopped she sucked hard on his still erect cock, making sure that she drained him of every last drop. She opened her mouth and showed him what little was left before swallowing the last remnants. Without giving Harry a second to catch his breath, she climbed on top of him, straddling his waist and lining him with her opening.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. In response she slowly sank down on him, letting him fill her. When she felt him push against her hymen she momentarily stopped, gritted her teeth, and kept going. The pain of him tearing through her barrier wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be but it was still painful enough to make her cry. Harry brought his hands up to her face and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. "Are you alright?" She nodded. "Do you want to keep doing this?"

"Yes," she responded quietly. "Just give me a minute." Soon she began moving again and not long after that she was frantically pounding herself on him, her bouncing breasts almost hypnotizing Harry. Just before Hermione climaxed she stopped and climbed off of Harry. "There's the first two parts of your present. You'll get the rest later. I'm going to take a shower."

"Wait, what? You were just teasing me again?" Hermione crawled up his body and lightly kissed him on the lips.

"No, I just gave you a taste of what's to come. I told you yesterday that the wait will be worth it and that our first time will be longer than an hour. Don't doubt me about either of those." She rose off of him again and made her way out of the room, making sure to take her time and allow Harry to admire her shapely ass. Before exiting the room she turned back and told him, "Don't go back to sleep."

Harry waited until he heard the shower start running and then went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He made sure to reach in the shower and turn the cold water up as high as it would go, telling Hermione that that was her payback. An hour later the two of them had just finished putting on their clothes when they heard Ron's familiar greeting. Harry looked at Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

"Is this why you told me not to go to back to sleep?"

"Maybe. You'll have to wait and find out." Without a word, Harry took her hand and led her down the stairs with him. They walked into the kitchen to find Ron sitting at the table.

"Happy birthday mate," he said, throwing Harry a brightly wrapped package. He caught it and tore open the package to reveal a book.

"_Secrets of the Dark Arts Volume I_? Stepping away from tradition a bit aren't you Ron?"

"Well I wanted to give you _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ but I thought it'd be pointless since you and Hermione are together."

"Well thanks, I really appreciate this. So when do I get volume II? Christmas?"

"I'm not sure," the red head admitted.

"I am," Hermione spoke up. She pulled her own wrapped parcel from what used to be Kreacher's cupboard. "You'll have to open it to find out," she told Harry before he could ask her anything. He quickly tore the paper off, revealing _Secrets of the Dark Arts Volume II_.

"Thanks you two," he told them, pulling them into a three-way hug. "This has already been a good birthday."

"Well I promise that it will be a great one before it's over," Hermione responded. "I've gone to great lengths to make sure that it will."

"What kind of 'great lengths?'"

"You'll find out later." She lightly kissed him before he could press the subject.

"So I'm just going to come right out and say this: you two were amazing last night!" Ron burst out, seemingly unable to control himself any longer. "I knew that you would really make a difference, that's why I asked Tonks to send for you, but I had no idea that you'd practically win the battle for us."

"Well let's not forget that we did have the element of surprise. The Death Eaters never knew we were coming. Besides, I think Voldemort wanted me more than anything else. He turned his attention directly to me as soon as he realized I was there. Anyway you shouldn't sell yourself short mate. You handled yourself really well, especially against Voldemort himself."

"What about little Malfoy babe? You're the only one who dueled him."

"Well right now little Malfoy is just that-little. He may be able to cast the Cruciatus and Killing Curses but he was still in way over his head last night. That battle was just too much for him. I'm sure Voldemort isn't pleased about it either."

"How do you know he could cast the Killing Curse though? He didn't get to finish the incantation."

"There was something in his eyes Ron. I don't know exactly how to describe it but Voldemort has the same look whenever he tries to kill me. Malfoy wanted to kill you last night 'Mione and he might have been successful if he had been able to finish the spell."

"But he didn't," Hermione firmly told her boyfriend. She put her hand under his chin and brought his eyes level with hers. "He didn't kill me last night and he never will. I promise you that I'm not going anywhere. No one will ever tear me away from you." Harry gave her a weak smile and wrapped her in a tight hug. Ron stood by awkwardly watching the display before Harry again pulled him in too.

"Hermione, I love you more than anyone in the world and Ron, you're my best mate. I don't want anything to happen to either of you. I'd rather lose my own life first." He turned away from them so they wouldn't see the tears that were welling up in his eyes. "Alright are either of you hungry?" he asked a minute later, the tears gone as he turned back to face them. "It's close to lunchtime and I'm starving."

"So why don't you let us take you out somewhere then mate? Today's your day and we don't want you to cook for us."

"You don't have a choice," Hermione told him, sensing the protest on the tip of his tongue. "We want to do this and we're going to. You might as well go along with it. We'll tie you up and drag you if we have to." Harry sighed and resigned to his fate, knowing that Hermione wasn't going to be swayed. The meal they ended up having was nothing special, just lunch at a Muggle fast food restaurant, but Harry still enjoyed it immensely. Just the fact that his girlfriend and best friend were taking the time to put everything else aside for his birthday and celebrate with him meant so much. It was more than he had ever gotten on any of his other birthdays. Their outing didn't last long before they returned to Grimmauld Place to unwind for the afternoon. Upon entering the kitchen Harry immediately realized the lengths that Hermione had gone to for him.

"Happy birthday!" everyone yelled when they saw him. Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Hagrid, Remus, Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, and Monsieur and Madam Delacour were all in attendance. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY" was spelled out in confetti that was suspended in midair. On one side of the table was a small stack of presents and a large cake in the shape of a Golden Snitch. On the other side were bottles of butterbeer and firewhiskey.

"Happy birthday Harry," Hermione quietly told him. He turned his head to look at her, his eyes telling her everything she needed to know. "Alright," she said to the entire room, "I know everyone's curious so let's go on and open the presents so we can get that out of the way." Not needing to be told twice, Harry tore into the nearest present. The next twenty minutes were spent opening presents and thanking them. The packages contained an enchanted razor from Bill and Fleur, chocolates from the Delacours, an enormous box of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes merchandise from the twins, a new Sneakoscope from Ginny, a moleskin pouch from Hagrid that only allowed the person who was wearing it to remove anything from it, and a ring that used to belong to James Potter from Remus (which earned him a bone-crushing hug from the young wizard). Before Harry could open the last two presents on the table, Tonks emerged from the fireplace.

"Sorry I'm late. I was held up at Gringotts. Security has really tightened in the past few months. Anyway, happy birthday Harry." She threw his gift to him, which he easily caught. He opened it to reveal a wand cleaning kit. He crossed the room to her and hugged her.

"Thanks Dora," he whispered in her ear. "I'm really glad you're here." Tonks smiled at him as he released her and gave him a wink.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," she responded. "It's not every day that someone you consider a brother comes of age."

"Alright, alright, break it up," Ron interjected. "You two can have a threesome with Hermione later. You've still got two more presents to open." Laughing along with (almost) everyone else, Harry went back to the table and opened his gift from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Inside was a watch very much like Ron's, with stars instead of hands and a dent on the back.

"It's tradition to give a watch to a wizard when he comes of age," Mrs. Weasley explained. "That belonged to my brother Fabian. He wasn't very careful with his possessions, as you can see. I still want you to have it though. I also want to take this opportunity to apologize to you and Hermione. Neither of you are little anymore, I realize that now, and I support you both in whatever you decide to do." Harry looked at Hermione then rose from his chair and engulfed Mrs. Weasley in a hug as well. He didn't have to tell her she was forgiven, the hug said everything. With a smile, he went back to the table and opened his last gift. Inside was a long, thin box and a piece of parchment. Harry picked up the parchment and began reading it as Hermione rested her head on his shoulder while she read it herself.

_Mr. Potter, up until now I know that you have mainly carried your wand in your pocket, as most young witches and wizards do. While it is understandable, since that's the only convenient place you've had to put it, it has never been acceptable, especially now that you've come of age. Voldemort has been trying to kill you for years so you've always needed your wand in an easily accessible place (and let's face it, your pocket isn't really that place), but now there's more to it. It's unprofessional for someone of age to carry their wand in their pocket or up their sleeve. Therefore my gift to you is something that will remedy that problem: a holster for your wand made of dragon hide. Now your wand will be always be waiting for you right at your belt. And if you're wondering, you can buy something similar to this at Diagon Alley, should you want to get one for someone else. Oh and by the way, happy seventeenth Mr. Potter._

_Shadow_

Harry didn't say anything to Hermione but he didn't have to. When he started reading the note she could sense his caution and unease; by the end of the first sentence both of them were replaced with a feeling of familiarity. While she had no idea why this note was so familiar to Harry, she knew that she would eventually find out. The important things was that Harry was safe. She knew that he was somewhat reckless, but not when it came to something this important; if he wasn't worried about the contents of the box then she didn't need to be either.

"Well what's it say?" Ron asked.

"It says that my present is a wand holster. Someone called Shadow sent it."

"You don't know who sent that?" Remus inquired, sounding worried. "You should let us examine it for curses then."

"I really don't think that's necessary Remus. Voldemort wants to kill me himself. As he put it, he wants me to look at him so he can see the light leave my eyes. He wouldn't resort to something as low as this."

"Besides Voldemort's not stupid," Hermione added. "He would've known that Harry would probably be surrounded by people who would be suspicious of this. If anything he would've cursed the parchment and we would already know if he had." Harry could tell that Remus wasn't convinced of his safety.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll check it right now." He carefully opened the box, exposing the holster; muttered the incantation for a spell that only he, Ron, Hermione, and Tonks knew of; and made some complex movements with his wand before pointing it at the holster. It glowed blue and then white before ceasing to glow altogether. "Alright it's safe. If it had turned red instead of blue then it would need to be stripped and if it had glowed yellow instead of white it might as well have been destroyed."

"Harry, what spell was that? I've never seen it before."

"I'm honestly not sure what it's called Remus. We discovered it earlier in the summer. It basically scans for any curses, both minor and removable and those that are potentially deadly. It doesn't actually remove any curses so it's only useful to detect them, but a lot of times that's all you really need." Having proven that the holster was indeed safe, Harry put it on his belt and deposited his wand inside it.

With the presents open, Harry started cutting the cake and the party officially began. Professor McGonagall showed up halfway through the afternoon (when Harry had just started drinking his first firewhiskey) with her present: a rather large box of owl treats for Hedwig. Harry wasted no time in giving one to his familiar, his first friend. A few hours after McGonagall appeared, Moody and Kingsley arrived with two brown parcels. They contained an impressive set of robes and a pair of dragon hide boots.

"They both meet the Hogwarts requirements, so you can wear them during school if you want," Kingsley told him. "We thought that you might like a change in clothes after years of wearing basically the same thing."

"Thanks," Harry responded, trying to balance while he pulled the boots on. Hermione tried not to laugh as she held his sides to keep him from falling. He had barely gotten them on before three official-looking letters came flying out the fireplace, one for Harry, one for Hermione, and one for Ron.

"Apparently I'm supposed to go meet with the Minister tomorrow," Hermione announced after she finished reading.

"So am I," Harry said. He looked at Ron who nodded, indicating that he had been summoned as well. "Wonder what it's about."

"Maybe something to do with last night," Hermione suggested. "I doubt it though. If it was then Scrimgeour wouldn't wait until tomorrow. Hell, he'd have already been here."

"Did you hear anything about it this morning Dad?"

"Not a thing," Mr. Weasley responded to his son. "But there's a lot that Scrimgeour keeps to himself, especially here lately." Things began to unwind after that and people soon left, beginning with Moody and McGonagall. By eight o'clock Harry and Hermione were alone again and had already cleaned everything up. Hermione took Harry by the hand and pulled him out of the kitchen.

"I told you this morning was just a taste of what's to come," she said, leaving him to their bedroom. "I didn't just say that for the hell of it." She pushed him onto the bed and quickly shed her shirt and pants. She straddled and began kissing him, pausing only to remove his shirt. With it out of the way, she started kissing her way down his body, pulling his jeans and boxers off as well. She quickly engulfed his manhood, taking him as far in her mouth as she could before pulling back until just the tip was in her mouth. She repeated this several times before attacking him with a frenzy.

"Ahhh," Harry breathed. "That feels so fucking good. You have the lips of an angel babe." He reached around and unclasped her bra while she slid her panties down her legs. "Turn around." Without letting him leave her mouth, Hermione rotated so that they were in a sixty-nine position.

He began lapping at her already wet folds, tasting what could only be described as her, while he played with her clit. Soon he changed tactics, pushing his middle finger inside her and thrusting it in and out while licking and sucking on her clit. She shuddered in pleasure above him and he took that as a sign to add another finger. He soon had her moaning so loud that she had trouble keeping him in her mouth. Without warning she came, clamping her mouth around his cock and massaging it with her tongue while flooding his own mouth with her cum. Feeling her tongue swirling around him and tasting her cum in his mouth caused him to erupt and fill up her mouth. She swallowed it all before rolling off of him and laying beside him on the bed.

"I want to taste," she told him, taking his hand and sucking on his fingers that had so recently been inside her. The taste of her own cum seemed to drive her wild. She took the time to grab her wand and perform the Contraception Charm and then pushed him back down on the bed and mounted him. She slowly sank down on his manhood, relishing the feeling of him feeling her up. She wasted no time in beginning her motions, quickly building up steam and pounding herself on him. Her breasts were bouncing in time with her pounding. Harry couldn't help himself, he had to reach up and grab them. He immediately began playing with her nipples.

Hermione was working herself faster and faster to a climax, his nipple playing helping. Before she could cum she felt him lift her up. The confusion that showed on her face was quickly replaced by lust once more as he pulled her onto her hands and knees and positioned himself behind her. With one quick motion he thrust himself inside, fully engulfing her. He picked up right where she had left off, pounding her so hard that her breasts bounced violently against her body. She moaned his name as he slammed even harder into her. Just when she was about to let go he stopped again and flipped her onto her back.

As Harry hovered over her, his manhood poised to enter, she saw his expression change. Whereas just a few minutes ago it was pure lust, now there was nothing but love in his eyes. In that one moment Hermione knew that this was more than just a physical need for him. He really and truly loved her and wanted to show her that love. When he entered her this time it was much slower and more caring.

When he was all the way inside he leaned down and passionately kissed her as he began moving. What started out as a slow act of making love soon turned into primal fucking again and they were moaning each other's name as he again pounded into her. She felt herself on the edge again and this time was granted as she came while screaming his name to the empty room while he emptied himself into her. They laid there for several minutes holding each other, relishing in the thought that they came together. Soon they had begun their second round. Hermione wasn't lying when she told Harry that their first time would take longer than an hour; at eleven-thirty the two of them fell back into bed for the last time that night, exhausted and asleep in seconds.

* * *

><p>The same time that Harry and Hermione were falling asleep, the Order was meeting at the Burrow again. It had taken almost an hour to get into contact with all of the necessary members and this had been the earliest time that everyone could meet.<p>

"We all know why we're here," Moody began, "so let's not waste time. Who here thinks that Potter should be the next leader of the Order?" This time no one objected, not even Mrs. Weasley. "Very well, it's settle then. Harry Potter is now the leader of the Order of the Phoenix."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: First of all, I want to point out that I normally don't like the idea of holster, simply because most people do things that just aren't realistic to me, such as equipping them with a spring so that the wand flies out or allowing it to be attached to Harry's wrist. The more I thought about it though, the more I wondered where witches and wizards in the real world would keep their wand and a holster is really the only thing that makes sense. Secondly, I debated for a while about whether the Conception Charm should be part of this story and in the end I decided to use it because it seems like a spell that would actually exist in canon. And for future reference, I won't say that they use the Contraception Charm anymore, since writing it out all the time will get tiresome and repetitive, however whenever Harry and Hermione have sex assume that they use the spell unless said otherwise.<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Notes:**

**jadesabrexiv: Thanks for the ideas. I have my own idea now that will be incorporated later in the story.**

**JPElles: I completely agree with you about her relationship with Remus. That's why they're not in a relationship in this story. I like both of them but I don't think they compliment each other. And I'll say that there won't be a harem in this story. Harry is in a relationship with Hermione only. However, it still may be a prelude to something...**

**Disclaimer: The usual applies, I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Behind Closed Doors<strong>_"You have to realize that your age means nothing to us Potter."_

At eight o'clock the next morning Harry snapped awake. He quietly slipped out of the bed, taking care not to wake Hermione, and went to the bathroom. After relieving himself he stumbled downstairs and opened the refrigerator, taking one out one of the leftover butterbeers. He had just raised the bottle to his lips when he heard a familiar voice behind him at the table, making him jump.

"Well good morning, Mr. Universe." Harry spun around to see Tonks and Ginny, very aware that he had absolutely nothing on. "I can see why Hermione was so excited yesterday."

"Fuck you Dora."

"If I get fucked with that the sure. We'll have to make sure it's alright with Hermione first though." Harry raised his eyebrows, unsure if she really meant that. Her face was completely serious but it wasn't unusual for her to make jokes like that. He didn't get time to further ponder it before Ginny spoke up.

"Damn if I had known it was that big I'd have tried harder when we were together." Harry gave her a scathing look as he retreated back to his room to put on some clothes. "What the fuck was that?" Ginny demanded, turning to Tonks.

"What the fuck was what?"

"Why the hell did you say that to Harry? I like you Tonks but Hermione's my best friend. I can't let you hit on her boyfriend like that."

"I wasn't hitting on him Ginny. I was just giving him a hard time. I'll admit that I think he's really attractive but he's like a brother to me. I just like messing with him like that."

"Hermione...Hermione." Harry attempted to wake his sleeping girlfriend while pulling on his boxers and jeans. "Hermione!"

"Mm, what is it sweetheart?"

"Did you know that Dora and Ginny were going to come over here this morning?"

"No idea," Hermione sleepily replied. "Are they downstairs now?"

"Yeah they were already in the kitchen when I walked in-naked. They were both eying me like a damn piece of meat." Hermione giggled.

"They were eying you like a piece of meat or they were eying your meat like a piece of meat?"

"Both actually. So you're not mad about it then?"

"Not really. You didn't know they would be down there. I know you wouldn't do that on purpose anyway and I doubt that either one of them would actually do anything, no matter what they might have said. Besides I can't blame them for admiring you."

"Thanks babe. I'm going back down there." He lightly kissed her and added, "You might want to come down soon too." He went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth before returning to the kitchen, where Ginny and Tonks had been joined by Ron.

"Glad to see you've got clothes on now mate, even if it is just your pants." Harry ignored him and put his unfinished butterbeer back in the refrigerator.

"So how was your first time?" Tonks asked.

"What makes you think we did anything?" Harry responded as he sat down.

"Well at least you're being a gentleman about it. Most guys would've told their best friend everything that happened as soon as the fucking was over. But you don't have to pretend Harry. Hermione told me during the party yesterday what she was planning. She said that she was ready to give herself to you completely."

"Wow, I didn't know that."

"Well now you do," He turned to see Hermione coming in. She sat down beside him before answering,  
>"And our first time was nothing short of amazing Dora! It lasted for three and a half hours! We probably would've gone on longer too if we hadn't been so exhausted."<p>

"Could we please talk about anything else?" Ron interjected. "I don't want to think about two people I basically consider my brother and sister having sex. That's like thinking about my parents having sex."  
>His face immediately fell. "Oh no."<p>

"Ron, I don't think any of us wanted to think about Mum and Dad fucking each other! At least Harry and Hermione are our age so that helps a lot. Besides, it's really quite sweet thinking about the two of them. Hell they love each other and they're perfect together. Dammit Ron, I don't think I'm ever going to get that image out of my head!"

"I have to agree with Ginny on this one mate. That was just a bit too far. Why are you up this early anyway? You never get up this early unless you have to."

"I keep thinking about the meeting with Scrimgeour. I know it's not until one but I'm worried about it honestly. What could be so important that the Minister wants to see us? Especially after the battle the other night. I'm worried that we're going to be in big trouble, me more than you two. This isn't a teacher at Hogwarts or my parents; this is the Minister for Magic. He can seriously punish us."

The air suddenly became very somber. Tonks left for work shortly afterwards, leaving the others in an uneasy silence. All of them were thinking the same thing: even though the chance that they would be sent to Azkaban was slim, the consequences they may have to face could still be dire. Though it seemed like the Aurors were very cooperative the other night, that was just the Aurors; the Minister might not be as cooperative.

For the next few hours, the four of them sat there talking about trivial matters, from how well they thought the Quidditch team would be this year to Rita Skeeter's latest book about Professor Dumbledore. They were all just making an attempt at not dwelling on what they may expect from Scrimgeour, however futile the effort was. At eleven-thirty Harry and Hermione set to work on making a small lunch for them. Normally they would make more but none of them were very hungry. If it was for any other reason they would be surprised at Ron's loss of appetite; however, given the circumstances, they were actually surprised that Ron was eating anything at all. They had just sat down to eat their meager lunch when Moody stepped out of the fireplace.

"Hi Mad-Eye," Hermione greeted him. "We'd offer you something to eat but we didn't fix much for ourselves, as you can see."

"Thanks Granger but I already ate anyway. Why aren't you eating Weasley? Are you sick?" Ron gave him a weak smile and looked back down at the uneaten food on his plate.

"He's worried about our meeting with Scrimgeour and if he's going to punish us," Harry answered for his best friend. "We all are to be perfectly honest."

"Is that all?" Moody chuckled. "There's no need for any of you to worry. For starters, if you were being convicted of something then Aurors would have shown up here yesterday, not letters. Second of all, and most importantly, Scrimgeour is overly concerned with appearance, a lot like Fudge was. Punishing the Boy-Who-Lived, his girlfriend, and his best friend for dealing You-Know-Who a loss wouldn't look good. We all know there was more to it than that but the public doesn't and even if they did they most likely wouldn't care. All people care about right now is knowing that You-Know-Who is vulnerable and punishing the people who proved that would be political suicide. Scrimgeour would be stupid to do that so relax.

"Now onto the reason I came over. Potter, it was Dumbledore's wish that you take over the leadership of the Order when we thought you were ready. He knew, as many of us do, that you have a great deal of potential, in both your power and leadership ability, and lately you've proven that you're beginning to reach that potential. After the events of the past ten days we all agree that now is the time for you to assume the role. Potter you're now officially the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. Congratulations. Now I know that this is sudden and there's a lot that you don't know yet about leading a group like this, but we'll help you out as much as we can until you feel comfortable doing things yourself. All final decisions will be left up to you however."

"Uh, well thanks for thinking so highly of me, I guess," Harry responded when he found his voice. "I don't know if I'm ready for this responsibility yet though, Mad-Eye. It was one thing to lead other students at Hogwarts; most of them were younger than me and I had still been through more than the older ones. Everyone in the Order is older than I am and most of you have experienced just as much as I have, if not more."

"You have to realize that your age means nothing to us Potter. We all believe in you. And you're forgetting that none of us have done what you have, no matter how much we may have actually accomplished." His words seemed to calm Harry some. "Now, if you'll excuse me I must be going. You have a meeting soon." He walked back to the fireplace and disappeared into it.

At twelve-thirty a much more relaxed (and slightly hungry) Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked outside Grimmauld Place and Disapparated to the Ministry after reassuring Ginny that she could stay at the house as long as she wanted. As they walked through the Ministry Harry could have sworn that he saw someone who looked almost exactly like him, but he forgot about whoever it was as soon as he was out of sight. Fifteen minutes later the three of them were patiently waiting outside Scrimgeour's office. They were still waiting at five minutes after one, not quite as patiently anymore. At one-fifteen, just when they were getting ready to leave, the door opened and Scrimgeour ushered them inside.

"There's no need to delay this," he began, "so we'll get right to it. The three of you have been summoned here because Dumbledore left you each something in his will." He pulled out a scroll of parchment and began reading it.

"First of all..._'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it_.'" From behind his desk Scrimgeour pulled out the Deluminator and passed it to Ron. "Now, Mr. Weasley would you say that you were close to Dumbledore?" When Ron simply shrugged Scrimgeour pressed on, evidently taking his shrug for a "no." "That is a valuable object, Mr. Weasley. It's certainly Dumbledore's own design.

"So why would something so rare be left to you of all people? Dumbledore taught thousands of students during his lifetime. Why is it that you three are the only ones he remembered in his will? What did he think you were going to do with the Deluminator, Mr. Weasley?"

"Well since it's made to put out lights, I guess that's what I'm going to use it for. What else do you think I can do with it?"

"That's what I'm asking you, Mr. Weasley."

"Well when I find out, I'll let you know." Scrimgeour opened his mouth and closed it again, apparently deciding that it was best not to respond. After studying Ron for a couple of minutes he picked up where he left off from the will.

"_'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive_.'" Now Scrimgeour pulled out an ancient looking book that was stained and peeling in places and held it out for Hermione. She took it without a word, barely noticing that the title was in runes. As Hermione gazed at it, a tear fell on the cover. "Why did Dumbledore leave you that book, Ms. Granger?"

"...he knew I like books," she started, wiping her eyes with the palm of her hand, "and I guess he thought I'd enjoy this." Hermione barely suppressed a sob before Scrimgeour could ask her anything else. Harry interlaced his fingers with hers and stroked the back of her hand as she laid her forehead on his shoulder, trembling.

"Did you and Dumbledore ever discuss any kind of codes?" Scrimgeour asked. The look Harry gave him would have made even Voldemort shudder with fear.

"I think that's all the questions you have for Hermione, isn't it?" Scrimgeour gave Harry a look of disbelief; however, as with Ron, he decided not to respond. Instead, he turned back to the will and continued reading.

"_To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill_." Scrimgeour wasted no time in pulling the Snitch out and holding it before Harry. "Why do you think Dumbledore left you this, Mr. Potter?"

"How the fuck should I know? I suppose 'as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.' It was my first match after all."

"So you think this is nothing more than a symbolic keepsake?"

"What else could it be?"

"I'm asking the questions here!" Scrimgeour roared. He took a moment to calm himself before continuing. "A Snitch would actually be a very good place to hide something, Potter. You know why, I'm sure?"

"Snitches have flesh memories," Hermione responded as she turned her head to look at the Minister. No one touches the Snitch before it's released; the maker wears gloves. That way it can identify the first human to touch it, in case there's a disputed capture."

"That's right," Scrimgeour agreed. "This Snitch will remember your touch, Potter. I believe that  
>Dumbledore may have enchanted this Snitch so that only you can open it. So take it." He held out his hand with the Snitch laying still in his palm. Harry's eyes grew wide for only a second before he realized that Scrimgeour didn't know that he had almost swallowed the small golden ball. He felt Hermione stiffen beside him; she relaxed after a few seconds though, evidently sensing his confidence. As Harry took the Snitch from Scrimgeour, all of them were staring intently at the ball.<p>

"That was really dramatic," Harry said when the Snitch didn't do anything. Ron and Hermione smirked while Scrimgeour looked rather stunned. "So if that's all you have for us I guess we'll be leaving then."

"Sit down," Scrimgeour ordered. "There's one more thing for you, Potter: the sword of Godric Gryffindor."

"Really? Well where's it at then?"

"Unfortunately, that sword wasn't Dumbledore's to give away. It's an important historical artifact and belongs to Hogwarts, despite the fact that you pulled it out of the Sorting Hat four years ago." Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Harry squeezed her hand and gave the smallest of waves, telling her to let it go. If Scrimgeour noticed this he didn't say anything about it. "Why do you think that Dumbledore wanted you to have that sword?"

"Maybe he thought it would look good on my wall." Hermione and Ron burst out laughing.

"This is not a joke, Potter! People are dying here! Did Dumbledore leave you that sword because he believed that only the sword of Gryffindor could defeat You-Know-Who?! Does he believe that you're the one destined to defeat him?!" Instead of giving him an answer, Harry just glared at the Minister again.

"Why are we just now getting these?" he demanded. "Dumbledore's been dead for over a month." Hermione answered before Scrimgeour could.

"The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation gives the Ministry the power to confiscate the contents of a will if they have powerful evidence that the deceased's possessions are illegal. They can hold them for thirty-one days, at which point they have to release them if they can't prove they're dangerous. So in all technicality the Minister doesn't even have the right to go through the will. He and everyone else knows that Dumbledore had nothing to do with Dark objects." Harry looked at Scrimgeour with rage in his eyes.

"So this is what you've been doing behind closed doors for the past thirty-one days?! Things are beginning to unravel out here while you sit behind your desk going through a will you had no right to go through?! You're right when you said that people are dying Minister, but they're dying because you won't do your job!"

"How dare you accuse me of not doing my job, Potter?! I could have you arrested for your insolence!"

"You can say whatever you want Scrimgeour; that's the truth and you know it. Just because you sit behind that desk doesn't mean you deserve to be there. You do have power but that doesn't mean you should have it. You haven't proved that deserve to hold that kind of power yet. You say that you want me to cooperate with the Ministry but you haven't exactly given me a good reason yet. Hell, as of right now the best thing I can say about you is that you're not like Fudge. That's not much of a compliment though; Fudge had his head so far up his arse that he wouldn't have been able to see Voldemort if he were right in front of him.

"Let me give you some advice Scrimgeour. You've got two choices here. You can either take the easy road, which Fudge did and you're already starting on, or you can take the hard road. On the easy road you continue to hide the harsh truths from the public, things like mass outbreaks from Azkaban and the actual death count, and pretend that Voldemort isn't as powerful as he actually is. This will give people a sense of security, however false it may be, and make them think that you have the situation under control; however, they'll find out that you've been deceiving them when Voldemort takes over the Ministry and the death count rises even more. On the hard road you need to tell people the truth about how powerful Voldemort is. They won't like it at first and they may lose some of their confidence in you, but it'll give them perspective and put them on their guard, hopefully keeping the death count from getting too high; their disenchantment with you won't last long however when they realize that you helped them by being honest with them. You'll also have the support and cooperation of both me and the Order of the Phoenix."

"How can you promise that Potter? You're not even in the Order."

"Actually all three of us are members and as of earlier today I'm the leader. I give you my word that you'll have the full support of the Order. And one last piece of advice. I know that you care about appearances but right now they don't matter right now. Voldemort doesn't care about appearances and in the end no one else will either." Scrimgeour opened his mouth to respond but closed it without saying a word, realizing that Harry was right.

After a few minutes of silence Scrimgeour finally said, "You're right Potter. I've been so concerned with appearances that I've caused as much harm as good. You have my word that I'll fix things today, as soon as you leave. The Ministry will be happy to work with you, IF...you tell me what Dumbledore was up to." Harry thought before answering.

"I can promise that I'll tell you once this is all over with. My reason for not telling you now is likely the same that Dumbledore's was: we can't risk Voldemort finding out about this. It's not that we don't trust you, it's just that Voldemort has a way of finding out things he's not supposed to. Is this acceptable?" Scrimgeour hesitated before slowly nodding once.

"Great. You have our full support then. Now we have a couple things of great importance to discuss with you. First of all, we think that you should allow the Aurors and any allies of the Ministry to use the Unforgivables."

"While I don't disagree with you, why are you suggesting this? You don't use the Unforgivables as far as I know."

"We've been fighting Voldemort on equal terms lately. We've already used several powerful Dark spells and it's inevitable that we eventually use-"

"I killed two Death Eaters in the battle the other night," Ron interjected. "I hit one in the head with a Blasting Curse. As you can probably imagine, it was quite gruesome. Blood and gore was everywhere. The other one I killed with a Killing Curse. I don't want to go to Azkaban just because I helped protect the people I care about." Scrimgeour looked horror-stricken at Ron's words.

"This war is worse than I thought if people as young as you are killing. You don't have to worry about going to Azkaban Ronald, I promise. As of right now, anyone who's fighting against Voldemort and his Death Eaters are allowed to use the Unforgivables."

"Well, now that we've got that settled I suggest that you increase security here at your office as well as the Ministry in general. In fact I'm not comfortable talking about our other thing until there's more protection outside your office."

"Why is that Potter?"

"That's what we need to about. Let's just say that certain things may have compromised. It'll all make sense after we discuss it." Scrimgeour gave Harry a skeptic look before taking a piece of parchment and writing something on it. He waved his wand and it flew away. "Did you mention that they could use the Unforgivables now?"

"I actually didn't think about it," Scrimgeour confessed. "I'll tell them later. There are more pressing matters at hand right now." Five minutes later there was a knock at the door. Dawlish and an Auror that Harry, Hermione, and Ron didn't know entered the office. They saluted Scrimgeour with their wands and took up their posts in the hall, closing the door behind them.

"Satisfied?" Scrimgeour asked. Harry nodded. "Then let's get down to business. What's so damned important that you want me to place Aurors outside my office?"

"Minister, we know that Voldemort has spies within the Ministry. You'd have to be stupid not to think that. But now we believe that he's also sabotaged the Ministry as well. We think that there's someone else sabotaging that's not with the Ministry, though we have no idea who it could be."

"I wasn't expecting that. What reason do you have to think that?"

"On July twelfth we were at Number Four Privet Drive where we were staying with the Dursleys, my Muggle relatives. We were attacked by six Death Eaters. All nine of us were using powerful spells. Something like that would have been detected here wouldn't it?"

"It should have been, yes. I didn't hear anything about it though."

"We don't think anyone heard about it," Hermione picked up. "No one showed up from the Ministry and it wasn't in the Prophet. The fact that three Hogwarts students defeated six of Voldemort's Death Eaters, including Yaxley, would have been big news in and of itself. The fact that one of them was killed, by his own Killing Curse no less, would have been huge. Voldemort wouldn't want something like that getting out; it'd give people confidence that the Death Eaters could be defeated.

"Later that night one of the Death Eaters came back and killed the Dursleys. The only reason we know that is because it was in the Muggle newspaper. The article said that they were killed by no visible means-the Killing Curse-and that there was a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth-the Dark Mark-in the clouds. The fact that Harry's relatives were killed would be a big win for Voldemort, especially if no one knew that Harry wasn't there. It would cause panic until everyone found out that Harry was still alive, panic that Voldemort could easily use to his advantage.

"That's why we suggested more security Minister: it may help stop information from being leaked out. Even if it doesn't it still helps make the Ministry safer. At Muggle airports they have a lot of security and it makes them relatively safe. It's not exactly impregnable but it's still quite safe. We're basically using the same idea here. If it's harder for people to get in and out then by extension it should be safer as well."

"That does make sense. How do we uncover the saboteurs though?"

"That's easy," Ron responded. "It'll be time consuming though. You need to match who was here whenever something happened and it was sabotaged. Right now there's only two incidents to go by though, so there's not much we can do really. The spies are a bigger threat right now honestly. Of course you can use them to your advantage. Leaking certain information can give you a very big advantage."  
>"Hmm, I see your point but we don't know who the spies are."<br>"We know who some of them are," Ron continued.

* * *

><p>Shadow listened to Ron list off the names of Death Eaters that were employed by the Ministry-Voldemort's spies. He was standing in the hall with the two Aurors. Neither of them noticed him of course; he was hiding in plain sight, as he had earlier with Harry. He was surprised yet pleased with Scrimgeour's actions. The damage done by sending the Death Eaters to Azkaban was now negated and a crisis had been averted. With the Ministry and the Order working together Voldemort's defeat seemed much more realistic. Time would tell but things were still off to a good start.<p>

* * *

><p>At the same time that Ron was telling Scrimgeour the names of Voldemort's possible informants, Pius Thicknesse and Nott were making their way to the Minister's office. They had been given a very straightforward mission by their master: kill Rufus Scrimgeour. Though Thicknesse knew that he was going to be the new Minister, he was still incredibly nervous. He was constantly looking around and jumped at the slightest noise. His erratic behavior was beginning to anger his calm companion.<p>

"Will you quit?" Nott hissed.

"I can't help it, I'm nervous. What if we get caught?"

"Listen, you work at the Ministry and I'm here quite often. No one will question us being here and no one knows what we're planning. They'll realize there's something wrong if you keep acting like that though. So calm the fuck down and act normal!" Despite the fact that he was still nervous, Thicknesse attempted to appear as calm as his companion. His charade didn't last long; he nearly panicked when he saw the two Aurors outside the Minister's office.

"They knew we were going to do this!" he whimpered.

"No they didn't. Those Aurors weren't there yesterday. Anyway we can still kill Scrimgeour, it'll just be harder. We'll have to wait until he comes out of his office." No sooner had the words left Nott's mouth than the door opened and out stepped Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Seeing not Rufus Scrimgeour but Harry Potter walk out of the office caused Thicknesse to lose what little self-control he had left.

"It's Harry Potter!" he yelled.

"Thicknesse don't!" Nott's words fell on deaf ears as Thicknesse raised his wand sent a Blasting Curse in Harry's direction.

Hearing his name had alerted Harry. Looking up, he saw two Death Eaters, one who he knew as Nott. He knew he wouldn't have time to attack them, making Hermione and Ron's safety his main focus. With the reflexes of a Seeker he leapt to the right while hitting Ron and Hermione with a Knockback Jinx that pushed them against the opposite wall. The Blasting Curse missed Harry by several feet and hit the wall behind him. The resulting explosion sent what was left of the unknown Auror's bloody and broken body into Scrimgeour's office door and slammed Harry into the wall just a few feet away from Hermione. He slid to the floor in a heap with blood flowing from his mouth, completely still.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled. She ran to him and dropped to her knees, crying as she laid her head on his chest. Thicknesse and Nott had no time to react before Dawlish Stunned Thicknesse and Ron set Nott ablaze, the Death Eater almost instantly.

"What happened? Scrimgeour asked, coming outside to find out what the noise was. Dawlish quickly explained what happened while Ron went to Harry's body.

"What should we do with Thicknesse, Minister? Send him to Azkaban?"

"Do whatever you think he deserves Dawlish. As of right now I give the Aurors and any of our allies permission to use the Unforgivables."

Hermione wasn't aware of anything that was going on around her, including the conversation between Scrimgeour and Dawlish and Ron standing over her. All she cared about was Harry's still immobile body. She was so lost in grief that she didn't realize he was still breathing until she felt his breath blow the ends of her hair and the slow but steady rise and fall of his chest in time with his breathing. It immediately dawned on her that Harry was still...

"Alive," she whispered. In a much louder voice she yelled, "Minister we have to get him to St. Mungo's. He's still alive!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>**I want to address Hermione talking about her and Harry sleeping with each other in front of Ron. It was pointed out to me by a friend that it seemed like Hermione was bragging about it and that the conversation was awkward. I want to clarify that she wasn't bragging as much as she was astonished by it. She had to tell someone about it. And all romantic feelings between Ron and Hermione have vanished, so there's no awkwardness from that.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: I want to thank the people who have taken the time to review and tell me how much they enjoy my story. I hope that I'll be able to continue to deliver.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter and I still don't make any money from this.  
><strong>

**Holding On**

_"The Healers won't let anyone in to see him."_

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were racing up the stairs to the Intensive Care Ward on the fourth floor of St. Mungo's, looking for Harry's room. Neither of them knew what was going on. All they had to go by was a message from Mr. Weasley telling them that Harry was in Intensive Care at St. Mungo's and they needed to come as soon as they could. Upon making the respective floor, the Witches flew down the hallway, still looking for any sign of Harry's room. They knew they found the right one when they saw several Order members congregating outside of it.

"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"We're not sure yet," came the response from her husband. "The only thing Ron told us is that they were attacked by Death Eaters at the Ministry. We heard two Healers say that he's really pale and blood is still coming out of his mouth so we assume that he's suffered some terrible internal injuries."

"Oh. Well where's Ron?"

"He went upstairs to get something to drink." Mrs. Weasley slightly frowned.

"He's not in there with Harry?"

"They're not allowing anyone to see him. Hermione's in there with him now and they didn't even want to let her in. Scrimgeour made them though. They didn't have much choice."

"But Arthur, the only time they don't allow visitors is when they think the person isn't going-"

"I know," the Weasley patriarch responded before she could say what they were all thinking.

"He'll be alright," Ginny said confidently. In a whisper she added, "he has to be."

"What?!" Voldemort had just learned that Thicknesse and Nott had met their own demise instead of killing Scrimgeour. The news had left him beyond enraged.

"There's more, my lord," the young Death Eater kneeling in front of Voldemort continued. "Before he was killed, Thicknesse used a Blasting Curse that caught Harry Potter in the explosion. He's in the Intensive Care Ward at St. Mungo's and they're not sure he'll survive." Voldemort closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again he acted with incredible speed, killing the unfortunate Death Eater before the young man realized something was amiss.

"Not only do Nott and Thicknesse fail to kill Scrimgeour, they may have possibly cost me my chance to kill Potter before they met their own demise. I've been robbed of my opportunity to kill them as well. This is going to stop now. No one fails Lord Voldemort like this." He grabbed the right wrist of the dead Death Eater before him and pressed his wand to Dark Mark on his forearm.

"Draco," he said to the blonde sitting at his right, "find Greyback and bring him to the main hall. Tell him to wait in the shadows until I say his name. If Scabior is with Greyback then bring him as well. If he isn't then I want you to find him." Malfoy bowed his head and Disapparated. Voldemort made his way to the main dining hall to await the arrival of the rest of his Death Eaters. He didn't have to wait very long before the hall began to fill. Soon everyone but Draco Malfoy was present, silently waiting for their master to say something. After nearly ten minutes of silence one of the newer Death Eaters dared to speak.

"My lord, what are we doing here?" The look Voldemort gave him was one of pure anger.

"_Crucio_," he calmly said, pointing his wand at his unfortunate victim. The Death Eater fell to the floor, screaming in agony. Voldemort kept the spell applied for only a few seconds, just long enough to make his point to everyone else present, but it felt like an eternity to the Death Eater. He had just released the spell when Malfoy walked in the hall and say down by Voldemort. "Now that Draco has arrived we can begin.

"Over the past two weeks only two of you haven't disappointed me" Bellatrix and Severus." Noticing Bellatrix's smug smile, he added, "don't be so smug, Bellatrix. The only reason you haven't disappointed me is because you have been extremely lucky. You were almost killed several times the other night. It is unacceptable for any of you to disappoint Lord Voldemort once; to disappoint him more than once may be the last thing you ever do. Nott and Thicknesse have just disappointed me for the last time, and I want to make sure that none of you ever disappoint me like they have. Greyback, Scabior!" The two wizards in question stepped out from the shadows upon hearing their names, as they had been instructed.

"I believe you all know these two. And I am sure that you know that they would both like to be sitting at that table with the rest of you. I know that you all think you are better than them but neither of them have disappointed me. Therefore, I am making them the two newest members of our rank to replace two of those we have lost over the past few days. If any of you do not like that, you can leave." No one said or did anything, knowing full well what the Dark Lord meant by "leave."

"Before we go any further, Lord Voldemort has a gift for you Greyback. Edwards, come here." A timid looking young man with a dark complexion and dark hair rose from the table and stood before Voldemort. "Your wand," the Dark Lord told him, holding out his hand. Edwards sighed and placed the piece of wood in his master's upturned palmed. "Greyback, I have heard that you like to attack people even it if is not a full moon. Indulge me."

Edwards immediately began running when Greyback looked at him with a sadistic smile. He didn't get very far before the werewolf overtook him and knocked him to the floor. Greyback wasted no time in slashing and biting at the former Death Eater's face and torso. Voldemort allowed the carnage to continue for several long moments, taking a sadistic pleasure in forcing his remaining Death Eaters to watch. Ten minutes had elapsed, and a sizable pool of blood had formed around the body of the now deceased Edwards, before Voldemort ordered Greyback to cease his assault.

"Edwards' punishment for his disappointing actions lately was death and your punishment was watching his execution. If any of you continue to disappoint me, you will meet the same fate. Now, since we will not be able to take control of the Ministry, I want control of the next best thing" Hogwarts. My original plan was to take over the Ministry and appoint a new Headmaster myself, therefore taking control of both institutes. That plan has obviously backfired. We need a new one."

"My lord, we need to get control of the Board of Governors," Malfoy offered. "Father was once on the Board, so I have a slight idea about it. They're the ones who appoint a new Headmaster. If we want to take over the school, that should be the quickest and easiest way."

"Well done Draco. I like that plan. Now the question is who do we make the Headmaster? We need someone that we can either easily coerce or who we can easily put and keep under the Imperius Curse.

"I have an idea about that, my lord," Rookwood volunteered.

"Proceed."

"Two years ago, when Fudge attempted to get Hogwarts under his thumb, he appointed Dolores Umbridge, his senior undersecretary at the time, as the instructor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts and later made her the Headmistress when Dumbledore was forced into hiding. Umbridge is very pro-pureblood and will be easy to control. It's likely that she'll do anything we ask her to as long as it's technically legal. She also has a desire for power, so she's also likely to make good use of it to enforce everything we tell her. She's probably our best bet to get the school under our control, as well as the easiest to convince."

"Very well, we will proceed with this plan. Starting tomorrow we will begin to take control of the Board of Governors and I want someone to begin talking to this Dolores Umbride as well. You are all dismissed for now. I need to speak to you though, Draco." The Dark Lord and his young apprentice went into the other room, away from everyone else. "I'm proud of you for coming up with that plan Draco. You're thinking outside of the box. We need more than merely brute strength to win this war, that was definitely proven to us two nights ago.

"I'm also proud of the way you acted during Edwards' execution. You're one of the only ones who didn't turn away or flinch. However, that also means that it was not a punishment for you and you must be punished. I admit that I almost hate to do this to you but it will be helpful in the long run. Call your mother in here." Draco summoned one of the house elves and ordered him to bring his mother to the room, completely unaware of what Voldemort had planned for her. When Narcissa arrived, Voldemort told Draco, "here is your punishment, Draco: I want you to do the same thing to your mother that Potter did to Lucius. I want you to torture her into insanity."

For the longest time it looked like Malfoy wasn't going obey his master. He looked from his mother to Voldemort, his mouth hanging slightly open. Voldemort knew the battle waging in the young wizard's mind; Malfoy's family meant everything to him. It almost surprised Voldemort when Malfoy finally got a hard look in his eye and turned to his mother. He said the incantation for the Cruciatus Curse and watched as his mother hit the floor in pain, no emotion showing on his face.

"Remember why you have to do this, Draco: you were defeated by Potter. This is Potter's fault, not yours. He's taken your father and now your mother from you; do not allow him to take anyone else. The next time you meet him, make sure that you're strong enough to defeat him. Make sure you can pay him back for the pain and suffering he's caused you." Malfoy continued to apply the curse until his mother was staring blankly around her, clearly insane now. He broke the curse and looked at Voldemort, anger and hatred now written on his face.

"Good. I believe that now you're ready; now you have the same fire that Potter does. You stand a chance against him. Bring Ollivander up here again. Let's find out if he's ready to talk now. If he's not, then I'll let you persuade him."

The young woman behind the counter in the cafeteria at St. Mungo's could hardly bring herself to stop looking at Ron. He had been a year behind her in Hogwarts. She had always somewhat fancied him, despite hardly ever talking to him, but never acted on those feelings, expecting him to make the first move. She thought she had missed her chance when she completed her seventh year. Now that he was here she knew she had a second chance and she wasn't going to waste it. She barely kept her voice steady when it was his turn to order.

"Hi, Ron. How's your summer been?" It took Ron a few seconds to remember the former Hufflepuff.

"Oh hey, Melissa. It's been better. How's yours?"

"It's pretty good so far. I'm working here until I make enough money to continue my education. I'm hoping to become a Healer." After a brief, awkward pause she asked him what he wanted.

"I think I'll take an iced coffee." Melissa couldn't help but notice how unhappy Ron seemed and decided that she was going to cheer him up. She smiled and left the counter to his coffee. A minute later Ron was still waiting for her to return. "How fucking long does it take to make an iced coffee?" he mumbled.

"Hey, Ron." He spun around and saw Neville standing behind him.

"Hey Neville. Are you here visiting your parents?"

"Yeah," Neville replied sadly. "Why are you here?" It was at that moment that Melissa returned with a large cup, bigger than the medium one Ron had ordered.

"Here you go," she told Ron brightly, twirling her hair around her finger as she spoke. When she handed him his drink she added, "I made it my special way, just for you."

"Thanks," Ron responded, completely ignoring her attempt to flirt with him. He paid her and turned back to Neville. "Harry's in Intensive Care and unconscious," he told the other boy, disregarding the look of disbelief Melissa was giving him.

"Oh. Well why aren't you up there with him?"

"The Healers won't let anyone in to see him." There was no denying the worry in Ron's voice. "Hermione's in there with him now but that's only because Scrimgeour allowed it." Neville didn't know what to say. He knew that the Healers didn't expect the person to live if they didn't allow anyone in to see them; he could tell by his face that Ron knew it too. Neville was at a loss for words. He said the one thing he could think of.

"Oh." Realizing how stupid that sounded, Neville quickly added, "I'm sure he'll pull through though, mate." Ron gave him a weak smile.

"I hope so. I guess I should get back down there."

"I'll go with you. I want to be there for Harry." As they started walking Neville asked, "why is it Hermione that's the only one allowed in there with him? Shouldn't it be one of your parents or even Lupin?" Ron mentally smacked his forehead.

"I forgot that you don't know about that. Harry and Hermione are together now. They got together about halfway through June. They're really serious about this whole thing too, so I guess that's the biggest reason she's the one Scrimgeour allowed in there. Hell, they act like they've been together a lot longer than a month and a half."

"Well, if you really think about it, they've been together for five and a half years. There's been a special bond between them since you all became friends. It really started to show in fourth year though. Hermione was the only one who stood by Harry when his name was drawn from the Goblet of Fire. There's been a bond between them since then that's too strong for them to be with anyone else. Everyone saw that but them."

"That's true. They should've realized it sooner. We should've helped them realize it. If they had been together when we had Umbridge at Hogwarts then Harry's fifth year probably would've been a lot better, among other things." Ron didn't get to say anymore about Harry and Hermione before he and Neville arrived outside Harry's room.

"Neville!" Ginny exclaimed when she came into view. She jumped up and hugged him, thankful that he had was there to support Harry. Ginny was trying her best to put up a brave front but the truth was she was terrified. She needed to talk to someone but two of the three people she felt comfortable talking to about this were in Harry's room and Tonks looked like she needed space at the moment. As odd as it seemed, Ginny felt relatively comfortable talking to Neville about this. "I need to talk to you when you have a chance," she whispered. Neville nodded and told her that he was free to talk now. She gave a sad smile and pulled him over to the couch she had just vacated.

Tonks watched as Ginny pulled Neville to the couch and began spilling her guts to him. She knew that the youngest Weasley needed to talk to her but right now she couldn't deal with it; she was struggling with all of this herself. She couldn't help but feel partially responsible for Harry's condition. Robards had asked her to provide additional security outside Scrimgeour's office when she finished her paperwork. She had been on her way there when the attack happened. If she had been faster she might have been able to stop Nott and Thicknesse before this all happened.

She felt the same way she had after Sirius' death: like a failure and more than a little guilty. Harry was like a little bother to her. She should be protecting him, not letting him nearly get killed. How could she live with herself if he died, knowing that she could have possibly prevented it? Worse still, how could she face Hermione if Harry died? As torn up as Tonks was about the situation, she couldn't begin to imagine how Hermione felt. The younger Witch had told her that Harry was her other half; how could she look Hermione in the eye and tell her that her other half was dead because she wasn't fast enough? She was pulled out of her thoughts by the arrival of Remus.

"Where the fuck have you been?" she demanded, walking over to him. Without waiting for an answer, she slapped him; the resulting sound got everyone's attention. "Harry's clinging to life and you're just now showing up? Aren't you worried about him at all?"

"I just now found out about it," Remus replied, looking slightly bewildered. "Kingsley just sent me his Patronus." Tonks scoffed and went back to her position of leaning against the wall. "Harry's going to be fine. He's been through much worse over the years. Why is everyone out here?" he suddenly asked, looking around.

"The Healers won't let anyone in to see him." The implication of Tonks' words hit Remus immediately. He quickly became worried but he wasn't going to let anyone see that.

"Oh, well he'll still be fine. Harry's tough, he'll pull through." Remus wasn't sure if he believed his own words or not. The one thing he was sure of was that if Harry did die he would be devastated. The loss of two of his best friends' son would be bad enough, but he didn't even get to say goodbye. The last thing he told the teen was to be careful of hid wand holster, and those were poor parting words. He swore that if Harry made it, Remus would show him how much he meant to him; for now though all he could do was wait and hope with everyone else.

Shadow was in just as much shock as everyone else but he was blaming himself even more than most were. Unlike everyone else here, he was directly outside of the office and was in a perfect position to stop Thicknesse from using his curse. Worse yet, he was hidden, so no one would ever know that he did anything. The only reason he didn't stop them was because he wasn't sure what they were going to do. He should have known better though; whatever a Death Eater had in mind was never a good thing. He promised himself that he was never going to make that mistake again.

There were times when not being allowed to kill and disrupt the natural order was a blessing for him. There were other times, like now, when Shadow cursed it. If only he was allowed to interfere with certain things, the battle at the Burrow for example, he could take measures to insure that things like this were less likely to happen. As it was now, Harry Potter, the one person who really had a chance of ending this war now that Dumbledore was dead, could very possibly die as well and take all hope of defeating Voldemort with him.

Though Harry was a powerful Wizard, and his power would only increase with time, his real asset against Voldemort was his mastery over the Elder Wand. It was no secret that Voldemort's wand wasn't exactly able to effect battle Harry's and he was looking for a way to fix that. Shadow knew that the Dark Lord was seeking answers from Ollivander, who had thus far remained silent. It wouldn't last though; there's only so much torture one can endure before they eventually spill everything and Shadow knew that Ollivander would eventually tell Voldemort about the Elder Wand. What he wouldn't be about to reveal is that Harry became the current master of the Elder Wand after he defeated Voldemort.

As much as Shadow hated to admit it, it was this information that Voldemort would be lacking, not Harry's skill, that would end this war. He didn't like admitting that Harry wasn't yet powerful enough to defeat Voldemort, but he knew that he couldn't depend on that and risk everything falling apart. Eventually Shadow would meet with Harry and teach him some of his own unique magic. Until then he would have to continue watching and aiding from the shadows, if Harry survived that is.

Mad-Eye was angry with himself. He didn't like Potter, Weasley, and Granger going to meet Scrimgeour by themselves. He thought that Scrimgeour might attempt to bully them into giving him information or worse, but the threat ended up coming from the outside. No one would have ever guessed that Nott and Thicknesse would show up at the Ministry that day. It could only be a coincidence that they were there at the same time as Potter but that didn't make it a coincidence that he was clinging to life in that room at the moment.

Mad-Eye had considered ordering a couple of Order members to accompany Potter, from a distance if necessary, but talked himself out of it. He felt that it wasn't his decision to make anymore and he didn't want to give Potter the wrong idea by possibly overstepping his boundaries. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Mad-Eye wanted to kill. He wasn't even this angry when Dumbledore was killed; then again, he knew that what happened with Dumbledore wasn't his fault. Dumbledore had a plan, though he never explicitly told any of them what it was, and knew what he was doing. Furthermore, Dumbledore had led a good, long life and knew that it was about to end anyway.

On the other hand, Potter was still green when it came to the Order and his life was just as green. He didn't deserve to die this young, especially not like this. Though Mad-Eye kept his distance more than he should, he still considered the young Wizard to be a valued friend. He wasn't exactly keen on the idea of anyone he cared about being ambushed and nearly killed by cowards. He promised that Voldemort and his Death Eaters would pay for this.

On the other end of the hallway he noticed that Hagrid was crying worse than most everyone else. It was understandable, given all that Hagrid and Potter had been through. Mad-Eye knew that Hagrid had a special bond with the boy; after all, rescuing him from that house wasn't something that anyone would be likely to forget, let alone Hagrid. The half-giant had known Harry longer than anyone here, with the possible exception of McGonagall, and was appropriately taking this harder than almost anyone else. That angered Mad-Eye just as much as the circumstance itself: Potter dying would affect more than just himself. Everyone here was here because they cared about Potter and his death would be more than just the loss of a leader to them; it would also be the loss of a friend and someone who they had watched grow up.

What the Death Eaters didn't realize was that the Order was essentially a family. Of course the Death Eaters were only united by their desire to eliminate Muggles and Muggle-borns and could never be considered a family. They only cared about themselves when push came to shove. The members of the Order might have originally joined together to defeat Voldemort but they became family by their actions outside of the Order meetings. It wasn't unusual for members to eat together, as had become the norm after most meetings, and to just generally be involved in each others' lives. For the Death Eaters to rob the Order of a member of their family was something that wouldn't go unpunished. They were making things even more personal between the two groups.

"How are you, Mad-Eye?" McGonagall asked from beside him. He hadn't heard her walk up.

"I could be better, Minerva. Somehow I'm holding on, but that's about it at the moment. I'm so angry. I'm angry at myself for letting them go by themselves, I'm angry at the damn Death Eaters, I'm angry that I couldn't do anything. I'm just angry about the whole thing in general. Potter's life is just starting out and now he might die because of You-Know-Who and his damn plan, whatever it was. Even if he lives there's so much that we have working against us and he won't be up for it for a few weeks probably."

"Well all we can do right now is hope for the best. Potter's a fighter, he always has been. If he goes, he won't go easily." No sooner had McGonagall spoken those words than the door to Harry's room opened and Hermione came out. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was broken up. Without saying a word, she stumbled over to Ron. She fell into him and he wrapped her arms around him. Before anyone could say anything, she buried her face in the redhead's shoulder and finally broke down crying.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I know that there wasn't a Hufflepuff student a year ahead of Ron named Melissa who fancied him. The point of that whole exchange was to show how Ron was dealing with Harry's situation.<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><strong>Crimson and Red<strong>

_"I still can't believe you're who you say you are."_

_The Boy-Who-Didn't-Live  
>by Rita Skeeter<em>

_It was reported seven days ago that Harry Potter was in the Intensive Care Ward at St. Mungo's for an injury he sustained at the Ministry at the hands of two Death Eaters. The Healers weren't saying very much about his condition at the time. That still hasn't changed but this reporter has learned that Harry Potter unfortunately died the very same day he was admitted to the hospital. A source very close to Mr. Potter informed this reporter that the end was peaceful for him. He never once woke up after he lost consciousness and reportedly felt no pain._

_This death has to come to a huge blow to the Ministry and a tremendous boost to You-Know-Who and his supporters. With Harry Potter gone it's inevitable that You-Know-Who will eventually take over-_

Harry yelled and snatched his wand from the bedside table. He threw the newspaper in the air and burned a hole in it. The dying voice of Rita Skeeter shrieked as the paper burned up. Harry looked up at the doorway, waiting for Hermione to show. He didn't have to wait long before she appeared, looking slightly panicked.

"What happened, Harry?" She looked at the remains of the front page of the paper on the floor and immediately knew why he was so upset. "Don't worry, it's all been taken care of. Scrimgeour forced the _Prophet_ and Skeeter both to issue an apology in the _Evening Prophet_ and print a retracted statement saying that you're indeed alive and well. He also banned Skeeter from writing again and prohibited the sale of her books in any store in Britain. She always tried to do anything to sell a story, stretching the truth a lot of times and downright lying at others. This lie was too big for her to get out of and now she's going to pay the price; she's ruined herself."

This did little to placate Harry. He was in a mood, that much was obvious to just about anyone, and he didn't want Rita Skeeter ruined; he wanted her punished. He knew that the woman was always desperate for a story but this was sinking to a new low, even for her. This wasn't merely a lie she told about him, this was something that could devastate an entire country and cause people to give up hope. It made Harry angry to know that she really cared so little about that. The entire Wizarding world was in peril around her and all she did was write a false story about his death to boost her own publicity.

Truth be told, Harry still held a grudge against Skeeter for what she put him and Hermione through during their fourth year. He felt that it was extremely disrespectful, among other things, and that what Hermione did to her wasn't nearly enough of a punishment. He could look past that though; after all it was merely rumors about his personal life that in the end had no real consequences. This was something entirely; this was something that could single-handedly open the doors for Voldemort's victory if it wasn't fixed soon. He couldn't keep thinking about this. He had to distract himself before he became too angry.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked him as he started to rise from the bed.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I know that you're still worried about me sweetheart, and I appreciate your concern, but the Healers said that as long as I don't overexert myself for a couple weeks I'll be fine. I don't think going to the bathroom is going to bother me unless I have a baby while I'm in there." Hermione bit her bottom lip to hold back her response and let him go to the bathroom without a fuss. He had only been at St. Mungo's for two and a half days-half of the first day was spent basically waiting for him to regain consciousness, and the other two days were merely to observe him-but she was still worried sick about him. She had told herself that she wasn't going to say what she was about to tell him, but she decided that he needed to hear it, to hopefully understand why she was still so worried even though the Healers had cleared him. She leaned against the wall outside the bathroom, struggling to find the exact words she wanted to use.

"...the...the entire...well most of time you were, unconscious, you were losing blood. Granted it wasn't a lot, it was almost like a shallow cut, but it was just a constant stream. The Healers didn't know how they were going to administer the Blood-Replenishing Potion until I suggested they use a needle. They didn't know what that was of course and I had to take the time to explain it, but still. Harry by the time you got to the hospital you had already lost a lot of blood. You were so pale that you looked like a stereotypical Muggle vampire and you were still losing blood.

"The Healers told me that when you regained consciousness the bleeding wouldn't be a cause for concern because you could drink the Blood-Replenishing Potion yourself. But that never happened. We all were expecting you to wake up in an hour or two at the most. Harry you were unconscious for six hours straight. That entire time you were losing blood and there was nothing they could do about it until I told them they should try a needle. None of us even knew if it would work but we knew that we had to at least try it, or you would surely die!" Harry came out of the bathroom, wiping the back of his hands on his pants, and stood in front of her.

"I know that the Healers said that you don't have anything to worry about now and that your body's just weak from the loss of so much blood in such a short amount of time, but you have no idea what I went through last week. When I saw you slam into that wall at the Ministry I thought for sure that you were dead. Then when I found out that you were still breathing I was so relieved and I was confident that you would be alright; that is, I was until you didn't wake up and kept losing blood for the next six hours. At that point I was expecting to lose you, honestly; and when you finally woke up it was like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could breathe again, like I'd been holding my breath for six hours straight." She threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him over.

"I can't lose you, Harry," she told him, as she began to sob. "I can't lose you. I love you too much. I'd be absolutely devastated if anything happened to you. I've already lost too many people to this war. I refuse to lose you too." Harry put his hand under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met. He softly kissed her, ceasing her crying almost instantly.

"You won't lose me," he promised. "I don't plan on going anywhere. You told me last week that no one was ever going to tear you away from me and the same goes for me. I love you too Hermione, more than you know." He planted another kiss on her forehead and the two stood there holding each other for what seemed like years. After what had really only been a couple of minutes, they heard the mail come in through the fireplace.

Hermione reluctantly released Harry and walked downstairs to find out what they had received. Harry followed her at a slower pace, his body still somewhat sore from being slammed into the wall. Though the massive blood loss had been the primary concern, Harry also had several broken bones that had to be healed. This was no problem of course, the Healers had fixed them before they even arrived at St. Mungo's, but there was no denying that the experience had left his body battered and bruised and he was just now starting to get over it.

When he went into the kitchen he found Hermione sitting at the table sorting through the mail. Ever since he came home from the hospital, those that knew the truth of what happened had sent him letters almost every day keeping him informed and wishing him well. The majority of the Order (the Weasleys, Tonks, Remus, Mad-Eye, and McGonagall being exceptions) had merely sent him mail to keep him informed on things, intent on letting him rest and recuperate. Hermione had taken it upon herself to decipher what was important for him to know and what was just more well wishing. Harry picked up some of the leftover bacon from breakfast and waited for Hermione to finish with the mail.

"We got our letters from Hogwarts," she told him when she finished. He noticed that she didn't have the usual excitement she would have over receiving the letter. It was obvious that she had taken the possibility of his death very hard. While the situation was serious, Harry couldn't help but be touched by how much Hermione cared about and loved him. He knew how important school was to her and if she was so upset about what happened to him that she didn't care about school as much as she normally did, it showed how much he meant to her. When she opened the letter and saw a large silver badge with the words "Head Girl" on it some of her enthusiasm returned.

"I've been made Head Girl!" she exclaimed. "Harry, I've been made Head Girl!" Her excitement was contagious and Harry couldn't help but be happy for her. "I wonder who's Head Boy."

"I don't know," Harry replied as he opened his own letter. "Maybe Ernie Macmillan? He took his role as prefect very seriously and he seemed to do well in his classes."

"He's not much of a leader though, and that's one thing they look at. But wasn't your father Head Boy despite not being made a prefect?"

"Hah, 'Mione I know what you're getting at and I doubt very seriously that I'll be made Head Boy." No sooner had he said that than a badge fell from the letter with the words "Head Boy" on it. "Then again I could be wrong," Harry continued, stunned as he looked at the badge. "Why the hell would McGonagall make me the Head Boy? I don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to staying out of trouble and I'm sure my grades aren't exactly the best."

"Actually babe, over half of your detentions were in fifth year and that was because of Umbridge. You did get in trouble some during your first and second year but that's not unusual and it was really nothing serious. Mainly you were just out of bed after hours, which isn't exactly a big deal. Admittedly you did use that spell against Malfoy last year but that was self-defense. You didn't break any rules when you used the spell; what got you in trouble was that you didn't know what it did. Hell, you said so yourself that you wouldn't have used it at the time if you had known it would've almost killed him.

"As far as your grades go, I think that you're one of the top of our year. You have the potential to get great grades, almost as good as mine, if you would just apply yourself more. I'm sure McGonagall realizes that and is basically giving you the opportunity to prove yourself. As Head Boy, you're expected to have top grades and this will hopefully give you that push that you need."

"I thought that being with you was that push," Harry responded. Hermione favored him with a smile before continuing.

"Really I'm not at all surprised that you were made Head Boy. Your grades are pretty good, you don't get into very much trouble, and, above all, you're a good leader. You're straightforward, you don't try to hide the truth, and people look up to you. That's just as important as grades and your disciplinary record, since the Head Boy and Girl are practically the leaders of the entire student body. The rest of the students have always looked up to you and after the events of this summer they'll look up to you even more. McGonagall made a good choice, picking someone she knows will be able to inspire everyone else." Harry didn't get the chance to show her how thankful he was before Ron appeared in the fireplace.

"Hey, you two got your letters too?" he asked, noticing the letters they both clutched in their hands. "I knew you'd get that Hermione," he continued, indicating the Head Girl badge on the table. "I wonder who got the Head Boy position though."

"I think we can enlighten you," Harry told him. He held out his other hand, displaying the Head Boy badge he held in it. Ron's eyes grew wide seeing the badge in the possession of his best friend.

"You're Head Boy?" he questioned. "So you two are Head Boy and Girl? You're going to be in charge of the entire student body? Somehow I don't think this is going to be a very good year for the Slytherins. Just promise me you won't be like Percy was, mate. Are you still going to be Captain of the Quidditch team too?"

"As long as I can handle it, then yes. I'm definitely going to continue playing Quidditch, however, if everything else piles up, I'll step down as Captain. This year I'll have to juggle school, being Head Boy, being Quidditch Captain, and leading the Order, so it's possible that I'll have to give up something. I refuse to completely give up Quidditch though. I have to do something to keep from going completely insane."

"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed. "What about me? I don't provide enough of a...distraction for you?"

"You provide much more than that, babe, but I can't fuck you in the middle of the Great Hall. As understanding as McGonagall is, I think she might have a problem with us doing that." Hermione and Ron couldn't contain their laughter. "I just hope that tryouts this year aren't the same as they were last year. I might make it so that no one without previous Quidditch experience can try out."

"You're doing tryouts again this year? We had an amazing team last year."

"Remember that we don't have Katie anymore though. Besides she made a lot of sense when she told me that I shouldn't play the old favorites and that there might be someone better out there. I'm not going to give anyone from last year a free pass. I want to do my best to ensure that we have a great Quidditch team again this year." He could see Ron's nerves already beginning to kick in. "Don't worry about it, Ron; you made the team last year and if you can keep your nerves under control then you shouldn't have any problem making it again this year."

"I guess so. I just hope I'm good enough."

"Ron you're a great player. You have a lot of technical knowledge, more so than I do, and you're talented. Your only problem is nerves. If you could get them under control then you wouldn't have anything holding you back." That seemed to perk Ron up somewhat.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll have to keep that in mind then. So how do you feel about that article Skeeter wrote, mate?"

"How the hell do you think I feel?" Harry asked, hotly. "The whole thing makes me seethe. I can't believe that the _Prophet_ would let her publish that! What's the point of it anyway? To build up her reputation? To sell more copies of the paper? It was beyond selfish of her." Hermione went to the cabinet and took out a glass as Harry continued talking.

"The whole thing makes me see crimson and red honestly. And when I say that I don't mean the blood I lost last week. I really want someone to hurt her. Scrimgeour's supposed to be banning her from writing anything ever again but that's not good enough. I want her to physically suffer. I know that makes me sound as bad as V-." The conversation was cut short when Harry and Ron heard the glass hit the floor and shatter, followed immediately by Hermione's voice.

"FUCK!" Harry looked down at her leg and saw that a piece of glass had flown up in the air and given Hermione's leg a deep cut. Fortunately, from what Harry could make out, the cut wasn't very wide and there wasn't much blood; it seemed that the pain was the main issue. Evidently, she wasn't in too much pain to walk to Harry's side. "Can I use your wand? I put mine down in the bedroom and forgot to take it with me." Harry nodded; Hermione reached for his wand but was apparently stopped by an invisible barrier. "I can't get it out of the damn holster!" she yelled in frustration.

"Really?" Harry responded. "That's odd. I've never had any problem with it." He grasped the handle and pulled out the wand without any trouble. He passed it to Hermione, who looked momentarily stunned before using it to heal her leg. After she healed herself she regained her stunned look.

"That's weird. I've never known anything like that. No one else can take it out but you? There must have been a spell used on it, but what kind? I don't know of any spell that can something like this."

"Maybe it's a variation of the spell used to create flesh memories," Ron suggested. "Think about it. There has to be a spell they use on Snitches to create flesh memories, they don't just appear out of thin air, so why couldn't they use a similar spell on something like this?"

"That makes a lot of sense," Harry agreed. "Voldemort used a similar spell to this to protect the locket, except to get past that barrier you had to put something in the basin to drink the potion. This spell seems to recognize me as the owner of the wand and only lets me take it out. It very well may have been invented by whoever sent me the holster. I wonder if it could be Summoned by anyone else."

"Let's find out," Hermione said. "Put it back in there and let Ron try to Summon it." Harry and Ron did as they were instructed. It didn't really surprise any of them when the wand didn't move an inch from the holster. "So it can't be Summoned either. It looks like it only responds to you whenever it's in the holster."

"Maybe we should try Disarming you too, mate, just to see if that works."

"That wouldn't work anyway, Ron. Disarming only works if the wand is the person's hand. If it's in my holster then there's not exactly anything to disarm, since technically I'm not armed."

"Babe, while it's on my mind I've been meaning to ask you, why was the note that came with that so familiar to you?"

"It was the same handwriting as the person who sent me the note I got when I returned to Privet Drive, the one that told me to learn more about the Dark Arts. That's what made me realize that the holster was safe. Whoever this Shadow person was, he had the chance to attack me when I went to Knockturn Alley. If he didn't then, I had no reason to believe I was in any more danger from this holster. It seems like Shadow genuinely wants to help us, though I don't know why they won't come right out and join us."

"Maybe 'Shadow' is actually a member of the Order," Ron piped up. "It's possible that they want to remain anonymous since everyone else is dead set again the Dark Arts."

"It could be but I doubt it. At first they might have wanted to keep their identity a secret, but after we used the Dark Arts they wouldn't have had to hide anything. Besides, they have absolutely no reason to hide the fact that they sent the holster. I think whoever Shadow is has to be someone that we don't know and who can't, for whatever reason, reveal themselves."

"Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. We know that whoever this is isn't a threat, that's all that matters. So what are you two wearing for the wedding tomorrow?"

"I'm wearing a lilac-color dress," Hermione responded. "I picked it out over the weekend. I think you're wearing the same dress robes you got for fourth year, aren't you, sweetheart?" Harry nodded.

"I was planning on getting some nice, new dress robes but I never did get the chance to find any. I guess I'm going to have to borrow one of Bill's spare dress robes. Listen, if you two don't have anything planned why don't you come over tonight for a celebratory dinner. I know that Mum will be happy that you're Head Boy and Girl. She'll be glad to have a bit of a celebration for you."

"I think that sounds great, Ron," Hermione told him. "We'll be over about seven, if that's alright." Ron nodded in the affirmative, said his goodbyes for the time being, and Flooed back to the Burrow to tell Mrs. Weasley the good news.

* * *

><p>Shadow's newly created spell was already a great benefit to him. Over the past couple of weeks he had grown tired of not being able to hear the conversations taking place in Grimmauld Place and had developed a spell that enhanced the sound in any particular direction. He was thrilled that Harry and Hermione were made the Head Boy and Head Girl, just like James and Lily. He knew they were both smiling down on their son and his girlfriend. Shadow knew that the rest of the day would most likely be uneventful, which worked out very well for him; he had an appointment he needed to keep. With one last look at around, he turned on his heel and Disapparated.<p>

Shadow Apparated in the middle of a small clearing in the Forest of Dean. He immediately saw the black-robed figure he was supposed to meet. He snapped a twig as he walked over to the other person, causing them to draw their wand and spin around in Shadow's direction. When the pale, black haired man saw who it was he lowered his wand.

"You're earlier than I thought you'd be," Snape told him. "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing to be concerned about anyway. Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger were made Head Boy and Girl and are going to the Burrow for a celebratory dinner with the Weasleys. The rest of the day will be uneventful so there's no reason for me to stay there and watch over him."

"You sound like him when you say Ms. Granger," Snape replied. "And I still don't know why both you and Dumbledore show Potter so much respect. Why do you refer to him and Granger as 'Mr.' and 'Ms.' anyway?"

"I know Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger but I've never met them; I know you and Albus personally. And he's deserving of that respect Severus. He's been through so much in his life and he's been able to rise above it all. Mr. Potter has had a similar upbringing to Voldemort and yet they couldn't be more different from each other. You have to respect that. Your problem Severus, as Albus pointed out before, is that you see what you expect to see. You dislike Mr. Potter because you didn't like James, at least that's what you tell yourself. The biggest reason though, is that Mr. Potter represents the life you think you should have had.

"I hate to tell you Severus, but Lily and you weren't meant to be together. She was always meant to be with James. The love you still have for her is a beautiful thing but you have no reason to resent James for being with her, nor to resent Harry for being James' son. James didn't steal your life from you, it wasn't yours to steal. You'll be a lot happier with your life if you let this go Severus."

Snape ignored him and instead said, "I still can't believe you're who you say you are. It's hard to believe that you know Potter and Lily that well too." Like Snape, Shadow chose to ignore the comments just made.

"The only other thing I'll say about this is to give Mr. Potter a chance. Try to keep an open mind and get to know him as just a normal person, not the representation of what you think your life should be. So, what news do you have for me?"

"There's not much to report since last time. The Dark Lord is making Draco more and more like himself, uncaring about anyone and willing to do anything. Draco still isn't anywhere near Potter's level of skill, I will admit that even if I don't want to, so we don't have to worry too much about that right now. Greyback and Scabior have been made Death Eaters now to keep the ranks from falling too low. He's also trying to get some kind of information out of Ollivander; I know for a fact that he hasn't told the Dark Lord anything yet though. The biggest thing we have to worry about is his new plan.

"Now that his plan to take over the Ministry has backfired he's settled for taking control of Hogwarts. His plan is to take control of the Board of Governors and appoint Dolores Umbridge as the Headmistress. He believes that she'll be the best person to run the school exactly as he wants it run. I'm not sure how he plans on taking over the Board but I don't think he's going to kill them. That would likely delay his plans, since a new member would likely have to be voted in and the Dark Lord doesn't want to wait. I think he's mainly planning on putting them under the _Imperius Curse_ or Confunding them."

"Well right now I have no choice but to leave Ollivander where he is. It's vital that Voldemort get the information he's after. After that we can rescue Ollivander."

"You and Dumbledore are a lot alike, you know that? Both of you try to manipulate everything around you."

"I'm not exactly like Albus. I know what the future's going to bring and I just change certain small things that in the end mean nothing. I try to make things better without possibly damaging the big picture. Albus wanted to control everything. He admits himself that he tried to set everything up exactly as he wanted it.

"Now, as far as Voldemort taking over the Board goes, unfortunately that has to remain unchanged. Like the attack on the Burrow, I can't get involved in this. My job is to give Mr. Potter an actual fighting chance and keep him from having to rely on luck. Everything I've done so far is minor in the grand scheme of things and was merely a catalyst. Preventing Voldemort from taking over Hogwarts could change the course of the future to something far worse than what will happen when he does take it over. As it is now, all the paths we've taken, all the directions I've given to Mr. Potter, still lead to the same outcome. We can't afford to change that into something we don't know. We can't stop Voldemort from taking over the Board and ultimately Hogwarts, but we can delay him."

"Alright, so what do we need to do then?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: Ok, so I have some good news. In the time that I've been absent I have come up with the outline for this entire story. All the major events of every chapter have been thought up and as long as I don't get stuck on the finer points of a chapter, like with this one, they should be up sooner. I'll make no promises but I'm hoping to have this story finished by the end of the year. Thanks to all of you for continuing to read this story. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, though I really wish I did.**

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><p><strong>Lost in This Moment<strong>

_"What the fuck is wrong with me?"_

The next day, after an early lunch, Harry and Hermione left Grimmauld Place for the Burrow. Hermione was wearing the lilac dress and matching heels as she had mentioned the day before while Harry was indeed wearing the same dress robes he had since fourth year. There was one major difference since when he bought them: after Hermione continuously joked that he would look like all the other guys there, he had changed the color of the robes to white. Though the wedding wasn't until three o'clock, Harry was required to be there early since he was one of the ushers. Hermione decided to be of help by assisting Ginny and Gabrielle with their preparations if they needed it.

They Apparated to the Burrow and went inside to find people scrambling around, either looking for something they had misplaced or attempting to stay out of the way of a rampaging Mrs. Weasley. It didn't surprise either of them to find Ron sitting at the table eating.

"Hey what are you two doing here so early?" he asked. "The wedding's not for another three hours."

"Fleur insisted on me getting here early since I'm an usher. She told me the day after I got out of the hospital and didn't give me much of a choice."

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley's voice made all three of them jump. "Why are you sitting here eating?! You should be getting ready for your brother's wedding!" She turned to Harry and Hermione. "I love your dress robes Harry, you did a great job with the color change; and Hermione, you look so beautiful, dear. NOW!" she added, turning back to her son before walking back out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, she does," Harry whispered in Hermione's ear, referencing the compliment Mrs. Weasley just paid her. She beamed at him, instantly knowing what he meant and sensing the sincerity behind his words.

"She's been worse than Fleur has this past week," Ron randomly told them, completely oblivious to the moment the two of them were sharing. "You'd think this was her wedding." When he realized no one was listening to him, he left the kitchen, grumbling under his breath the entire time. He passed Fleur as she descended the stairs.

"'Arry, could I speak with you moment please?" Harry looked at Hermione who shrugged, evidently unaware of what Fleur wanted to talk about, and followed the older woman to her makeshift dressing room on the next floor. "I really want to zank you for coming today 'Arry. I know zat you 'ave not completely recovered from last week. I was very worried about you. I-we were all worried zat we were going to lose you.

"You 'ave always been kind to me 'Arry, even before you saved Gabrielle. I regret to say zat at first I did not return zat kindness. I 'ave come to know more about you over ze past two years and I think of you as a younger brother. William and I are going to live on ze coast in a place called Shell Cottage. I want you to know zat you and 'Ermione are welcome zere anytime you want. Zat is all I 'ave to repay you with at zis time unfortunately. I only wish zere was more I could do for you."

"You've done more than enough already, Fleur. It means a lot that we're always welcome at your place. The fact that you care so much means more than you could ever know." He smiled at her and she hugged him. "I'll let you go so you can get ready for your big day," he told her after several long seconds. "And I know it's a bit too early but congratulations." She beamed and thanked him before shooing him out the door and continuing to get ready.

"What did she want?" Hermione asked when Harry came back downstairs. He relayed to her what Fleur had told him. "Wow I didn't expect that. It was really nice of her. I guess she feels bad that you're here when she thinks you should be resting."

When Ron reappeared a few minutes later, now wearing a borrowed pair of his older brother's dress robes, Hermione went upstairs to help the two bridesmaids if they needed it. An hour and a half later at two o'clock the first guests began arriving. The first ones there were members of the Order, meaning that Harry could neglect his duties as an usher for a little while longer. At two-fifteen, he had to start showing people to their seats and headed outside to the marquee. A line quickly began to form and seemed to grow larger in an instant; it was everything Harry, Ron, Fred, and George could do to keep up with everyone. The next half an hour was spent showing people to their seats. Finally, ten minutes before three, the vast majority of people were seated and waiting; it was also at this time that Hermione made her reappearance.

"Your mum's in a fit to tied, Ron. Ginny's only just now gotten ready. If this wedding doesn't start at exactly three, no one's going to be happy."

"Three o'clock, three-oh-one, what difference does it make? By the end of the day they're going to be married and happy, that's what matters. Besides, it's not her wedding. I don't know what her problem is. Maybe someone should Stun her until it's all over." The three of them started laughing until a familiar voice broke up the laughter.

"You look vunderful, Herm-own-ninny." They all turned to see Viktor Krum standing at the entrance to the marquee, looking at Hermione appreciatively. Jealousy surged through Harry and for a moment he was tempted to curse Krum into oblivion. He quickly got himself under control though, telling himself that Hermione was in a relationship with him, that she loved him, and that, as much as Krum may fancy her, she felt nothing for him. He could compliment her all he wanted but it wouldn't matter, because she was with Harry and she was happy. Sensing his jealousy, Hermione put her arm through his, an act that Krum was not blind to.

"Ah, so you two are together now? That's good, I'm happy for both of you. I know I vos jealous ven I vos at Hogwarts for the Trivizard Tournament but I have had time to think since then. You two are good together." Harry looked at Hermione, who was smiling at him, and returned her smile with one of his own. He held out his hand to Krum, who took it.

"Thanks, Krum."

"Call me Viktor. After all ve have been through, there is no need for such distance between us."

"Well I admit it's good to see you again, Viktor. I didn't expect you to be here. I'll show you to your seat if you want." Krum followed Harry to his seat, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George walking behind them to their own seats. When everyone had finally taken their seat, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came down the aisle, smiling and waving.

When the two older Weasleys had taken their own seats Bill and Charlie stood up at the front of the marquee, both wearing large white roses on the front of their dress robes. Everyone fell silent as music came from what seemed to be the golden balloons against the ceiling and everyone turned to look at the entrance. A great sigh issued from the assembly when Fleur and Monsieur Delacour came walking up the aisle, followed by Ginny and Gabrielle. Fleur was wearing a simple white dress and seemed to emit a silvery glow while Ginny and Gabrielle were both wearing golden dresses and looked prettier than usual.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a familiar voice began. Harry was only slightly surprised to see the same wizard who presided at Dumbledore's funeral standing in front of Bill and Fleur. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls. Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle..."

The sound of noses being blown into handkerchiefs all around the tent indicated that most women, and a few of the men, were crying. Mrs. Weasley and Madame Delacour were sobbing into scraps of lace in the front row. Trumpet-like sounds from the back meant that Hagrid had taken out one of his own giant handkerchiefs. Hermione turned and beamed at Harry, her eyes full of tears as well. He smiled at her and took her right hand in his while wrapping his left arm around her shoulders.

"...then I now declare you bonded for life." The wizard waved his wand high over the heads of Bill and Fleur; a shower of stars fell upon them and spiraled around their now entwined figures as the golden balloons overhead burst open. Birds of paradise and tiny golden bells came out and added their own music to the now thunderous applause emanating from the tent.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the wizard called again. "If you would please stand!" Everyone did so and the wizard waved his wand again. The tent was instantly transformed into a reception area, complete with a dance floor. The band began playing as waiters popped up all around, carrying trays of pumpkin juice, butterbeer, firewhiskey, tarts, and sandwiches. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each grabbed a butterbeer (Harry also picked up a firewhiskey to share with Hermione) and found a table with Luna Lovegood and who could only have been her father.

"Hey Luna," Ron said as they approached. "Is it alright if we sit down?"

"Of course," Luna happily responded. "This is my father," she continued, gesturing to him. "Daddy, this is Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter." Xenophilius Lovegood enthusiastically shook each one of their hands as Luna introduced them.

"Luna has mentioned all of you many times. I'm glad that she has such good friends to look out for her while she's at Hogwarts." In his enthusiasm, Xenophilius knocked his empty goblet on the floor. As he leaned down to pick it up a necklace fell out of the neck of his robes. Hermione gave a very audible gasp when she saw it.

"Mr. Lovegood, what is that symbol on your necklace? I've seen it before but I don't know what it means."

"This is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, Ms. Granger. The line in the middle is the Elder Wand, the circle is the Resurrection Stone, and the triangle is the Cloak of Invisibility."

"You mean the Deathly Hallows from _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_? I thought that was just a story. They can't be real can they?"

"There is no evidence that the Hallows are real but that also means there's nothing out there to dispute the fact that they exist. Many of us believe that the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility do indeed exist. There have actually been several claims over the years of certain people owning the Elder Wand, though its current whereabouts is unknown."

"But how can anything bring back the dead?"

"You have to pay attention to the story, Ms. Granger. It said that Cadmus Peverell's fiancée wasn't fully alive and that she was sorrowful. It's believed that the Stone may bring people in an ethereal state, similar to a ghost."

"What about the Cloak?" Ron interjected. "What's so special about it? There has to be many invisibility cloaks in the world."

"Other invisibility cloaks are either made from the hair of a Demiguise or by having a very strong disillusionment charm or bedazzling hex put on them. They tend to become less effective with age, rip, or the user can be revealed with certain spells. This Cloak has retained its power throughout the years, suffers no wear from age, and protects the wearer from the spells that affect normal cloaks." Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other, all thinking the same thing: the description fit Harry's cloak perfectly. Apparently not taking notice of this, Xenophilius announced that he was going to give Bill and Fleur their wedding present and departed from the table.

"That sounds exactly like your cloak," Ron told Harry as soon as Xenophilius was out of earshot. "It belonged to your dad, so it has to be at least forty years old, and it's still as effective as it was when you got it six years ago. There's no sign of it aging either. It still looks like new."

"Oh you have one of the Hallows, Harry?" Luna asked, picking up on the conversation.

"It's possible, Luna. We're not really sure yet."

"Well Daddy will still be excited."

"Actually Luna, I'd really appreciate it if you don't tell your dad. I wouldn't want it to get out to the wrong people that I have one of the Deathly Hallows."

"Oh so it's a secret?"

"Um, yes, that's right. It's a secret, Luna, so you can't tell anyone. Even your dad." Luna looked excited at Harry's words.

"No one's ever told me a secret before," she said. "I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks Luna," Harry responded, smiling. He turned to Hermione and asked, "where'd you see that symbol anyway 'Mione?"

"It's over _The Tale of the Three Brothers_ in _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_, the book that Dumbledore left me. I started reading it while you were in St. Mungo's and the symbol wasn't in the rune translation book. It's been bothering me for the past week. It looked like Dumbledore, or someone, inked it in. I wonder if they knew what it means."

"You said it was over _The Tale of the Three Brothers_?" Ron asked. At Hermione's nod he said, "I'm willing to bet that whoever put it in there knew perfectly well what it means. It can't be a coincidence that they drew it over the story of how the Deathly Hallows were created."

"Could that be the reason Dumbledore left me this book?" Hermione pondered, looking at Harry. He shrugged.

"It's possible."

"It's really lucky that we found out about it though. There was no guarantee that I'd even read the book, let alone notice that symbol. And it was just luck that we saw Mr. Lovegood's necklace."

"It seems to me that a lot of Dumbledore's original planning involved luck. I guess he had his reasons for not telling us everything though. I just wish I knew what they were." They sat in silence for a couple of minutes until the band finished their current song. Luna started swaying in her seat when the next one began.

"Ooh, I love this song," she said. Harry grinned at Hermione and lightly kicked Ron's foot, motioning to Luna when the redhead looked at him. It took Ron a few seconds to realize what Harry was implying. When he refused, Hermione leaned over and whispered something in Luna's ear. "Come dance with me, Ronald." Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Ron by the hand and pulled him to dance floor; Ron used his free hand to give a one-finger salute to Harry and Hermione as the younger girl was leading him.

The two of them sat at the table watching Luna dance and Ron fumble around for the entirety of the song, doing their best not to laugh at the redhead. They barely managed to see Ron's failed attempt at escape when the song ended before Viktor Krum sat down at the table.

"I saw you two talking vith that man over there earlier," Krum began, pointing at Mr. Lovegood. "Do you know him?"

"Not really," Harry responded, "we only met him today. Why?"

"Because if he vos not a guest of Fleur's I vould duel him right now. He has the symbol of Gindelvald around his neck." Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I am very sure, Herm-own-ninny. That symbol vos carved into vun of the valls in Durmstrang. I know that he vos never very powerful here, they say he feared Dumbledore and rightly so, but he vos a terror in Bulgaria. He killed my grandfather. Some people thought it vould be cool to copy the symbol in their books and notes but those of us vho lost family to Grindelvald showed them how vrong they vere."

"Well in his defense, Mr. Lovegood probably doesn't know that it's the same symbol Grindelwald used. Apparently that's originally the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. That doesn't make it any less terrible that the symbol is associated with Grindelwald but that's not what it originally meant. And like you said, Grindelwald wasn't nearly as big here as he was in your country, so it's not surprising that he doesn't know about its association with Grindelwald." Krum didn't want to admit it but it seemed that Hermione was right. Grumbling under his breath, he left the table and picked up a bottle of firewhiskey as he walked out of the tent.

"So Grindelwald used the symbol too," Harry said, turning to Hermione. "Dumbledore gave you a book that he used to own that has the symbol in it, Grindelwald used it, and Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald. What's the connection between them?"

"Well Dumbledore seemed to know what the symbol meant, so it's likely that he knew about it before Grindelwald started using it. We know that it represents the Deathly Hallows and if we accept the Deathly Hallows as real then maybe he's trying to give us a clue? Maybe we need to find the Hallows and use them against Voldemort?"

"It's possible. It's just something else to look for though. Where the hell would we even go about looking for the other two anyway?"

"I don't know. Let's not worry about this right now sweetheart. We're at Bill and Fleur's wedding so let's just enjoy ourselves today. We're allowed to enjoy a day free of anything to do with Voldemort every once in a while. We still need to go congratulate them by the way. It looks like they're relatively free now."

Without waiting for an answer, Hermione rose from the table, grabbed Harry's hand, and pulled him through the crowd to the two newlyweds. Mrs. Weasley and Monsieur Delacour were talking to them when Hermione finally managed to make her way across the room. Noticing the teens, they took their leave and Bill and Fleur turned to face their next congratulators.

"Congratulations you two," Hermione began. "We're so happy for both of you."

"Yeah thanks for inviting us," Harry added. "It really means a lot. It's been really nice today. We've really enjoyed it."

"Harry, we're just glad that you were able to make it. We were all scared to death that you wouldn't make it last week. The fact that you're here means a lot to us." Before anyone could say anything else, Bill hit his glass with a fork, getting the attention of everyone in the tent. "As most of you know, our good friend Harry Potter was in an explosion last week that almost claimed his life. For a while, we weren't sure if he would live, let alone be able to come to a wedding; but here he is with us today.

"Fleur and I are so happy that he's able to be here, especially given everything that he's been through lately. Right now, our entire freedom rests mainly on his shoulders. Harry does so much for all of us, more than he realizes actually, so I'd just like to take a moment to recognize that." He raised his glass. "To Harry."

"To Harry." Everyone echoed the cheer and raised their own glasses before drinking deeply. Harry had a very modest look on his face, unsure as to why everyone thought so highly of him just because he was standing up to Voldemort. Before he had much time to think about it though, the band had started playing again and he was being led to the dance floor by Fleur while Bill and Hermione were on their own way. Though he admittedly wasn't the best dancer, Harry enjoyed himself as he danced with the newest member of the Weasley clan. When the song was over he gave Fleur a somewhat emotional hug and received a kiss on his cheek as a reward. The band started playing a slow song and Harry made his way over to Hermione.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked, offering her his hand.

"Harry Potter, since when do you dance?" Hermione joked, taking his offered hand and starting to dance with him.

"I don't," he replied. "But I know that you want to and as long as we're doing something together that's all that matters to me. I don't think I'm a bad dancer and if you want to dance then I'd like to." Hermione smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. About a minute went by before she noticed that most people were looking at either them or Bill and Fleur.

"They're looking at us," she told Harry, slightly disgusted. "You'd think that we're the ones who got married today. Even here you don't get to be a regular person!"

"Yeah," Harry responded nonchalant, looking around.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Well I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me but right now I'm not paying any attention to them. All I care about is being lost in this moment. Right now all that matters is that we're here with the people closest to us on a day that we don't have to worry about Voldemort. We're free to be the thirty-two years we are." Hermione gave a mirthful scoff before laying her head back on his shoulder.

The rest of the day passed by quickly. Looking back neither Harry nor Hermione would remember much. They remembered Ron and Luna dancing for most of the rest of the time. Ron got more comfortable as the day turned to night and the two of them got closer. Hermione and Ron also shared a few dances while Harry even danced a couple of times with Luna. The entire day was spent relaxing and nothing more was said about Voldemort or the Deathly Hallows. By ten o'clock, the reception had wound down and most people had left. Harry and Hermione stayed at the Burrow for another two hours visiting with the Weasleys and the new happy couple. At midnight they decided it was time for them to leave as well. They went back to Grimmauld Place and both were asleep by one.

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><p>Hermione's eyes had a green glow as they snapped open. She rolled to her side and looked at the clock. She had only been asleep for a couple of hours before the nightmare jarred her from her sleep. In her mind's eye she could still see Bellatrix standing over the lifeless body of her daughter. She looked at Harry and was glad to see that he was still sleeping. The last thing she wanted right now was to talk about this.<p>

She didn't know why she kept having this nightmare. It made absolutely no sense to her. If there was a spell that could produce nightmares like that then she'd be slightly more understanding but she knew there wasn't. Besides, even if there was she knew that whoever cast it would have to be able to get into the house; if someone could get into the house without them knowing, then having nightmares would be the least of her worries.

The only comfort she had was that it was highly unlikely that the dream would ever be a reality. Since she and Harry had already agreed to always used the Contraception Charm whenever they slept together there was no way they could have a baby now. They also agreed that they weren't going to even think about starting a family until Voldemort was killed. For all the comfort that offered though, it still didn't keep her from waking up in the dead of night with the vision of her own death and a green light playing in her head.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" she wondered aloud. She rolled over and closed her eyes. Within minutes she had fallen back into a very uneasy sleep.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: There's two things I want to point out. First of all, I'll admit that I took some of this chapter straight from the book, mainly the part about the ceremony and Krum's speech about Grindelwald. Second of all, in this story the Contraception Charm is 100% effective. So as long as it's used there's absolutely no chance of having a baby.<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Dignity<strong>

"So what exactly happened again?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Ron? Bellatrix came in, dueled me for about a minute, killed our daughter, then tried to kill me." Hermione was sitting in the kitchen at the Burrow, telling Ron, Ginny, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley about her recurring nightmare. Her hand was shaking as she brought the glass of firewhiskey to her lips; though it was barely eight o'clock in the morning, Tonks insisted that she have the drink to steady her nerves. "What disturbs me more than anything is that I keep having it."

"How often do you actually dream this?" Tonks asked.

"At first I only had it about once a week at the most. Since the explosion at the Ministry though I've dreamt it nine times total, four the first week and five since the wedding."

"And Harry doesn't know anything?" Ginny inquired. Hermione looked away, a slight look of shame on her face.

"No. He's got a lot going on right now and I don't want to bother him. The only reason I didn't tell him when it first happened was because I thought it was just a one-time thing. I had no idea that I was going to repeat this over and over. I know that Harry would want to know this but I don't want to pile my troubles on top of everything he has to deal with. He's just recovered from his injuries and now he has to focus on the Order. The last thing he needs right now is to do deal with a problem that isn't even his."

"You should tell him, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley advised. "You two are in a relationship now, if there was any doubt about that it was erased after the events at the Ministry, and you share everything in a relationship. Yes, you'll give Harry something else to worry about but your problems are now his problems, and vise-versa. If it was the other way around you'd want him to tell you about this nightmare wouldn't you." At Hermione's nod, Mrs. Weasley continued, "if you don't tell him everything, how can you expect him to tell you everything?"

"I just don't want to burden him any more than I have to. There's nothing he can do about this anyway."

"That may be true but Harry loves you," Ginny answered. "He might not be able to do anything but he would still want to share in your pain and fear. Harry is one of the few men who's interested in an actual relationship, especially for his age. He wants to be able to share in your entire life, both the good and the bad. How can you expect him to be there for you if you don't tell him what the problem is?"

"I guess you're right," Hermione responded. "As much as I don't want to burden him, Harry would want to know about this. And if I don't want him to keep things from me then I shouldn't keep things from him. I already fucked up when I didn't tell him that I was going to Obliviate my family until I almost did it. I just hope he isn't too mad about this."

"Does he even know you're here?" Ron suddenly blurted. Hermione shook her head. "That won't go over well either. You left him at home to come over here and talk to us about the very thing you're keeping from him. Whatever you do, don't tell him you were over here if he asks where you were."

"Don't listen to Ron," Tonks told her. "You can't pick and choose what you want to be honest about. He may not be happy about this but he'll eventually get over it. But if you don't be completely honest with him then he won't be able to trust you. Trust is one of the key things that holds a relationship together and without it you two are going to struggle. I think everyone here believes that you and Harry are great together and that you should be with each other, but if you're not honest then a breakup is eminent."

"We're going to fight about this," Hermione stated, matter-of-factly.

"That's to be expected," Mrs. Weasley said. "Every relationship has fighting. There's no such thing as a relationship that's 'too good' for the couple to fight. The key is that when you walk away, you've resolved the issue and you're not mad, otherwise the fight will repeat itself in the future. One thing I've learned over the years is that if he yells, don't yell back. Talk to him. Let him do the fighting while you talk through things. If you both yell and argue then nothing will get accomplished."

"Thanks everyone." Hermione drained the rest of her glass. She looked more confident as she pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. "I'll go talk to him about it." She started to walk outside and stopped short. "Oh, I almost forgot, what about the dream? I don't want to keep having this same fucking dream every night."

"There's honestly not much you can do except take a potion for a dreamless sleep. It can get costly though, so take that into consideration."

"Thanks Dora." Hermione walked past the wards surrounding the Burrow and Disapparated back to Grimmauld Place, determined to talk to Harry about the recurring nightmare and hoping that he wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

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><p>Harry woke that morning to an empty bed. He was curious as to where Hermione was but he wasn't worried: he could sense that she was rather calm and if she was going anywhere dangerous she would have told him. There wasn't much that Hermione kept from him but lately he could tell that there was something on her mind that she wasn't sharing. While it did annoy him, he had decided to let her tell him whenever she was ready. He was planning on talking to her about keeping things from him though.<p>

He had just finished making his breakfast when he heard the front door open. He held his breath, waiting for Hermione to say something. His patience was rewarded when he heard her yell for him. He replied that he was in the kitchen and began eating. A few seconds later, the other resident of the house appeared in the doorway.

"You're not worried that I could be someone impersonating me?"

"Not really," Harry told her, swallowing part of his egg. "We've redone the _Fidelus Charm_ so that I'm the secret keeper and only certain people in the Order know the secret. Besides, we've got a lot of other enchantments put up to keep people out that we don't want in. The only place I feel safer is Hogwarts, and that's mainly because of all the other people there. We've turned Grimmauld Place into a fortress that's nearly impenetrable."

"I guess. Did you leave any breakfast for me?"

"I made some extra for you in case you wanted it. It's still in the skillet to keep it warm." Harry got up and grabbed her a plate. He piled her food on it and returned to the table. She graciously accepted it and started eating herself. "So where have you been?" Hermione stopped with her fork in midair, the piece of sausage dangling from it; she didn't want to have this conversation yet, but she knew that she couldn't put it off.

She took a deep breath and replied, "I was at the Burrow. I had to talk to them about something."

"Oh yeah? And what was so important that you couldn't talk to me about but you could talk to them?"

"It's a nightmare I've been having. You remember when we first moved in here and I woke up from that nightmare." Harry nodded. "I've had it several times since then. In the past two weeks alone I've had it nine times. I wanted to know if they might know anything about it."

"So you feel like you can talk to them about it but you don't feel like you can talk to me?"

"Harry don't take it like that. I didn't tell you about it at first because I thought it was just that once. Then after I kept having them I knew that you had a lot to deal and I didn't want to bother you with my problems."

"You knew I had a lot to deal with? HERMIONE I ALWAYS HAVE A LOT TO DEAL WITH! I'M THE FUCKING CHOSEN ONE! THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I CAN'T MAKE TIME FOR YOU!"

"I know, and I realize that now. But at the time I just didn't want to be a burden on you."

"You didn't want to be a burden on me so you didn't tell me?! The reason I wasn't told anything during our fifth year is because Dumbledore didn't want to burden me and look what the fuck happened! We've been together for almost two months and already you've kept me out of the loop about sending your parents to the States and you've been keeping this from me for a month! It's like fifth fucking year all over again! And I feel like you don't trust me!"

"Harry, I'm really very sorry. I know now that I should've told you. I was just doing what I thought was best. It's not that I don't trust you, I just didn't want to burden you with something that I didn't think was your problem. But I realize now that when you're in a relationship with someone that your problem is their problem too. Harry I learned a long time ago that you can't learn everything from a book; relationships are one of those things. I'm learning as I go."

"What really hurts me about this is that fourth year when Ron thought that I put my name in the Goblet, you were by my side the whole time. Last year when Ron was being a git, I was there for you when you needed me. We've always been there for each other Hermione. Now I feel like you don't want me to be there for you, like now that we're in a relationship I'm not good enough to be there for you."

Harry's words hit Hermione like a slap in the face. She knew exactly what he meant. He meant that he felt like she didn't trust him anymore and that their friendship was falling apart now that they were together. He meant that everything they had gone through over the past several years didn't mean anything to her anymore. He had just hurt her as much as she had hurt him.

"I'm sorry for hurting you Harry, and I'm sorry that you feel that way." She picked up her plate and her glass. "I know what you think, but nothing's changed for me except that we're in a relationship now. You're still my best friend and you always will be and I don't want to hurt you. I think it's best if I go eat in the living room. I'll be in there when and if you decide to accept my apology."

Harry stared at her as she walked out of the door. He was immediately filled with regret. He knew that Hermione didn't mean to hurt him, after all she loved him and would never do anything out of spite, but the fact remained that she did. Her refusal to tell him two very important things in her life reminded him too much of fifth year and how alone that made him feel. He knew that she still thought of him as her best friend, the way they interacted with each other made that obvious; they still acted like friends just as much as they acted like they were in a relationship. He hated that he hurt her but he needed time to cool off before he forgave her.

"FUCK!" he yelled, as he threw the plate and what was left of his breakfast at the wall.

In the living room, Hermione jumped when she heard the plate shatter. She was crushed. She knew that Harry wasn't going to be happy about what she did, or what she didn't do rather, but she didn't think that he would be so angry that he would throw things like that. She also wasn't prepared for him to hurt her like he did. She knew that he didn't do it on purpose but that did little to make her feel better.

Really, she blamed herself for what happened. If she had been honest with Harry from the beginning then he wouldn't have had a reason to get upset like that. She knew Harry had abandonment issues and she failed to consider the fact that it was possible that he would see this as an act of abandonment. It was her fault but she still felt that his reaction was over-the-top, especially breaking the plate. All she could do now was wait for Harry to work through his anger.

As it turned out, she didn't have to wait nearly as long as she thought she would. A couple of hours later, Harry came into the room. Hermione was watching television and had tear tracks on her face. Harry walked over to the couch, hit the "power" button on the remote, and gathered both of Hermione's hands in his left. With his right hand he wiped away the tear tracks and the new tears that were beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"'Mione, I'm sorry about that. I was very hurt but that was no reason for me to explode like that, and I didn't mean to hurt you. I know that you didn't mean to hurt me either and I know that I'm still your best friend. You wanted me to forgive you for what you did and I do. I hope you forgive me for what I did. I love you more than anything and I don't ever want to hurt you like that."

"I love you too Harry, and there's nothing for me to forgive. I can't blame you for being so angry and hurt. When I kept that stuff from you I was trying to make you feel better but I neglected to think about everything you've been through. I only ended up making things worse. So I don't blame you at all for what you did, but I do think that throwing your plate against the wall was a bit much."

"Actually I threw the plate against the wall because I was mad at myself for how I handled things. I thought I made things worse." She nodded and smiled at him, lacing her fingers with his as she did so. He smiled back, knowing that her gesture meant that they were alright now. He turned the television back on and the two of them sat back on the couch and watched it in silence. It wasn't long before Harry broke that silence though.

"Listen 'Mione, I know we have an Order meeting tonight, and I have to lead it for the first time, but would you want to go to Diagon Alley today? We need to get our school supplies and we might as well go on and get them."

"That sounds great Harry. I've been wanting to go for a while. Let me go get ready and we'll go now if you want."

"Yeah, that's fine. I need to get ready too, actually." As they were changing Harry asked her, "so what's this nightmare that you keep having?" Hermione relayed every detail to him, much more relaxed now that he knew about it. "Wow, that's rough. Bellatrix kills our daughter and you? Is it bothering you any?"

"Other than not being able to sleep? Not really. I know that it's never going to happen. At first it scared me but now it's really more annoying than anything else honestly." Harry gave her a hard look. She lightly laughed and told him, "really, babe, I'm fine. It mostly just wakes me up and makes me wonder why the fuck I keep dreaming about the same fucking thing." Harry nodded, knowing exactly what she was going through.

"Well you can at least take comfort in the fact that Bellatrix isn't putting images in your head through a connection you share because she killed your parents when you were a year old."

"Yeah that's true. At least I know that no one's actually causing me to have these nightmares. I just wish I knew what was causing it."

"Well what did they say at the Burrow?"

"They told me to get some potions for a dreamless sleep. They're pretty expensive though. I don't know how much I'll be able to get."

"You can get as much as you want. I've got money."

"Harry I can't ask you to pay for that."

"Who said you're asking for it? I'm offering. 'Mione, I've got so much money that I'll never have to work if I don't want to. We can live a life of luxury and still have money left over. There's no way that I'm ever going to spend it all so we might as well use it on something important." The end of his sentence was almost cut off as Hermione launched herself at him and kissed him hard, her tongue in a battle with his.

"As soon as you feel up to it, I'm going to ravage you." Harry grinned at her as she winked and watched her put the finishing touches on her hair. "There I'm ready. Are we going to ask Ron to come?" Harry nodded and they Disapparated to the Burrow as soon as they were able to do so, only to find that Ron was spending time with Luna. They promised to pick up his books and supplies for him and Disapparated again to Diagon Alley.

Their shopping trip didn't last as long as it usually would. Just like last year, there were fewer people than normal on the streets. It didn't take Harry and Hermione very long to get their books and other supplies and, without the usual cheerfulness that filled the alley, they didn't feel like staying very long. This wasn't a date or an outing for them; the reason they were at Diagon Alley was to buy the things they needed for school and that was it. With the way things were going now there wasn't much of a reason to stay at the alley any longer than necessary anyway. That's what Harry thought anyway until he noticed a tattoo shop that had taken over one of the abandoned buildings.

"Hey let's go in here," he told Hermione as they were walking by.

"Why? Do you want a tattoo or something?"

"Actually yeah, kind of. I don't want anything crazy, just something that's important to me. Maybe the Hogwarts crest."

"I think I like that actually. Where are you going to get it?"

"I think here." He made a circular motion on his right bicep. "It'd be in a good position there and I could easily hide it whenever I needed to." Seeing nothing against Harry's reasoning, Hermione followed him into the tattoo shop. Thirty minutes later they walked out again; Harry had a little less money in his pocket and a very detailed tattoo of the Hogwarts crest on his upper right arm.

"Why do you want a tattoo of the Hogwarts crest anyway, babe? I would expect you to want something else: a dragon or a hippogriff maybe."

"Hogwarts is the first place I've ever felt at home. Even now I still consider it to be my second home, right after Grimmauld Place. It's something that, even when I'm older, will still mean something."

"Ah, alright. That's understandable. Aren't you worried that people might look down on you now though?"

"'Mione, I'm sick and tired of letting other people run my life. I don't care what people might think about this tattoo. I like it and I know that it won't bother the people who really care about me. This is just one small thing I'm doing to take back control of my life. Whenever I do finally die I'm determined to die with dignity."

Hermione sympathized with him. She knew that most of his life had been run by other people in some way and she could only imagine how frustrating it was. Without a word she took his hand in hers and lightly squeezed it, trying to convey those feelings of sympathy. Evidently Harry understood these feelings because he returned her gesture with a small but thankful smile.

With everything else done, the two of them ate a quick lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before returning to Grimmauld Place. The rest of the day was spent either going over their new books or, in Harry's case, mentally preparing for the Order meeting by nearly throwing up every hour. Though Harry was an accomplished leader, something that he was willing to admit even if he only modestly did so, his only experience leading an official group was an illegal underground "class" during Umbridge's control of Hogwarts. He had never led people who were older than him yet looked up to him, a thought that still baffled him, nor had he led a group that was so important. It was safe to say that the Order of the Phoenix carried the fate of the Wizarding world on its shoulders and Harry was petrified that if he made a mistake then everything would unravel.

Hermione did her best to take Harry's mind off the meeting but no matter how hard she tried he was still worried. It was so foreign for her to see him like this. Usually Harry was the one who was calm under pressure and keeping her from losing her head. Now their roles were reversed: Harry was acting like Hermione did just before the OWLs while Hermione was trying her best to help him keep his head on straight. After about an hour of unsuccessfully trying to calm him down she realized that he would have to get through this on his own and returned to looking through her new books.

At six o'clock the two of them left for the Burrow; they arrived just in time for dinner. While Hermione appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the meal, Harry's stomach was squirming too much for him to eat much of anything.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Oh he's nervous about hosting the meeting tonight. He said that if he makes a mistake that everything will come apart and that it'll all be his fault."

"You don't have anything to worry about, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley told him. "As leader the only things you really have to do are call on people to give reports, give your own report if you have one, and give orders. It's not a very formal thing. Besides, Mad-Eye will help you out if you need it. Think of it as more of a group discussion than a meeting. We take what we're doing very seriously of course, but we don't stand on ceremony at the meetings. We're all friends so there's no reason to make any more of a big deal out of it than necessary."

"So really all I have to do is have someone give their report and just sit back and listen to them, like I normally would?" At Mrs. Weasley's nod, Harry noticeably perked up and started eating to rival Ron. It humored everyone else to watch the two young men practically inhaling their food like it was their last meal. After Ron finally finished eating the next hour was spent talking and simply hanging out with each other before the meeting. By seven-thirty members of the Order had already started to arrive and less than twenty minutes later nearly everyone was there and ready.

The meeting started promptly at eight, as Harry was bound and determined to start his first meeting as leader of the Order by proving how serious he was about his new position. The majority of the meeting was spent much as Mrs. Weasley had indicted: with Harry mostly listening to the other members giving their reports and issuing the necessary orders. At times Harry needed some help from Moody with his orders but for the most part he had no trouble. The only one who was really surprised by this was Harry himself. Finally, when the rest of the business had been concluded, Harry addressed everyone over his leadership.

"First of all, I want to thank all of you for having faith in me and I ask that you continue to have faith. I promise that I'll do my best to be worthy of this position and do what's best for the Order. Now, along that line, there's a few things that I want to discuss. Everything that we're doing here is with the intention of finally defeating Voldemort and I think we need a more aggressive approach. As you know, a couple of weeks ago the Minister gave permission for the Aurors and allies of the Ministry to fight fire with fire and use the Unforgiveables. Now that Scrimgeour isn't being an arse anymore and has decided to work with us, we're officially allies of the Ministry, meaning that we can use the Unforgiveables, and I'd like us to take advantage of that. As of right now I'm issuing standing orders that any time any of you are fighting Death Eaters you have my full support to use the Unforgiveables and any other magic from the Dark Arts that you see fit. I want to make it perfectly clear though that you don't have to if you don't want to; I know that not everyone is comfortable with using the Dark Arts and I have no desire to force anyone to do something they don't want to.

"I also want to maintain a very high level of security within the Order. I don't want anyone to present anything in any of the meetings without first talking to me. I'll decide whether or not it's alright to go on and include it in the meeting or whether we need to keep it quiet for a while. The reason that I'm doing this is because, while I trust all of you with my life, the more people that know about something, the more likely it is that Voldemort will find out that we know, which could prove problematic if it's something big. I'll keep everyone updated when we come across something like that, and I don't want anyone to feel left out or anything, but we need to be very careful and selective about what we discuss.

"Finally, we need to recruit more members here. I know that it's difficult to know who to trust in a time like this, especially because Voldemort likes to use the _Imperius Curse_, but we still need to try to boost our ranks. The Ministry can be effective against Voldemort, especially now that they're willing to admit the harsh truths and act on them, but the fact remains that they don't have our resources and they don't always act fast enough. The Order is really the best line of defense that people have and we could really use some more members. I want it clear that I don't want just anyone in the Order; just because someone wants to help doesn't mean that they actually can help. One thing that we really do need is someone with connections to the underground; the loss of Mundungus was hard on us, in more ways than one. I don't want anyone to actively recruit people, that won't get us anywhere, but keep your eyes open; if you see someone who might make a good addition to the Order let me know.

"That's all I have for today, so if there's nothing else then-"

"I've got something else, Potter." Everyone turned to see Severus Snape standing in the back of the room. Like everyone else, Harry was momentarily shocked to see the Potions professor but quickly recovered.

"The floor recognizes Professor Severus Snape," Harry said politely. Snape looked taken aback for only a few seconds before assuming his usual sneer.

"Thank you Potter. I know that there may be some speculation as to why you were at the Ministry the day that Nott and Thicknesse were and I want to clarify one thing: they weren't there for you. The Dark Lord has always wanted to kill you himself and that hasn't changed. They were there to kill Scrimgeour so that Thicknesse could replace him as the Minister and the Dark Lord would have control over the Ministry. Fortunately you were there to bring that crashing down around him.

"That victory was only a temporary one however. Now that his plan to take over the Ministry has failed, and he knows that trying now would be futile, the Dark Lord has turned his eyes to Hogwarts. He wants control of the youth and he's on his way to getting that control. His plan this time is more subtle: he doesn't plan on killing anyone, which is a rarity for him. He wants to either bribe, Confund, or bully the Board members into choosing the headmistress that he wants chosen."

"Who does he want to be the new headmistress?"

"Dolores Umbridge. He knows about her pureblood beliefs and he knows that she'll do just about anything she's told to do." The room had broken out in a low rumble of noise when Snape had said the toad-like woman's name and Harry silenced it with a calm but forceful "Quiet" before inquiring more of his professor.

"So what can we do to stop it then?"

"Honestly there's nothing we can do, Potter. The Dark Lord already has over half of the Board members on his side, enough to vote her in, and they're going to vote within the next week I think. It will be nearly impossible to keep one from voting for her, let alone all of them. Furthermore, the Dark Lord isn't stopping at that. He wants as many votes for Umbridge as possible; he won't leave anything to chance. The best we can do is come up with a way to protect the students."

"Very well," Harry responded. "Since this information is new and there's no point in sitting here for another four hours debating ideas that are only partially formed, this will be the first topic we'll discuss next week. If there's no further business then I conclude this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Snape, I want a word with you, if you don't mind." Harry and Snape hung back in the room until everyone else was gone before either of them said anything.

"So do you have a reason for holding me back Potter, or are you just trying to waste my time?"

"Professor, I know that you don't like me and that you never have but I think it's time that we put that behind us. We're both on the same side and we both want the same thing. This bickering and resentment we have between us will only serve to make our battle that much more difficult. I know that with everything we've put each other through over the years, this animosity between us won't just go away but we need to take steps in that direction. I know that you don't want me to call you Severus, but I'm more than willing to call you Professor if you're willing to call me Harry instead of Potter." Snape had a pained expression on his face when Harry finished talking.

"You're less like your father than I thought," he finally told the younger Wizard. "You're right, we need to put the past behind us. If you want me to call you Harry instead of Potter then I'll do that, but only outside of the classroom. I don't want people to think that I have favorites."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "And I know it's been a long time coming but I never thanked you for watching over me during my first year, so thank you for that too." Snape's mouth was slightly agape and he looked like he wanted to say something else too. Before he did though, he turned and walked away, leaving a grinning Harry behind him.

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><p>Shadow watched with satisfaction as Snape walked beyond the wards placed on the Burrow and Disapparated. He was very pleased with what had just transpired. It was one thing for Harry to make that gesture, but it was shocking to see Snape agree. This was a vital step to eliminating Voldemort, though not in the way that many would think. By bridging the gap that was between him and Snape, Harry had just helped to solidify the older Wizard's relationship with the Order and cutting one of Voldemort's key spy networks. Now the Dark Lord would almost be in the dark for information on the Order and it would greatly help save lives.<p>

"He's a turning into an even better man than I had thought. If he's putting this behind him at this young of an age, at a time that most would hang onto the grudge even more, then he has a bright future ahead of him. He's becoming his own person and less and less like Dumbledore was. Only time will tell just how different he'll be though. If tonight is any indication though, this kid will end up being a true role model. Now I just need to somehow let him know about that locket that Umbridge has."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I know that in real life a detailed tattoo of the Hogwarts Crest would take much longer than thirty minutes but, since everything else is faster with magic, I'm going with the assumption that tattoos are too. Furthermore, I know that Snape's willingness to use Harry's given name instead of his surname might have been a bit too neat but keep in mind that he loves Lily and he's beginning to see Harry as less of James' son and more of Lily's son, so he's being less antagonistic to him.<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note:**

**JPElles: I agree with you and I assure you that, no matter what it seemed like, that won't happen in this story. I'll admit that I thought for a long time about what to do with Snape before I started this story and I eventually decided against killing him off, as Harry will need a mentor. Snape fits this for several reasons, not least among them because Voldemort killed the only woman Snape ever loved. I agree that Snape hates James because he won Lily's heart and that's why he hates Harry, because he represented the life that Snape didn't get to have. What Shadow told him at the end of chapter 21 was the kick in the ass he needed to realize that and, though it's never explicitly said, he's thought about that a lot since Shadow said it. Despite what it seemed like in the last chapter, he won't suddenly start being nice and rational to Harry, at least not outside the Order. The three things you have to keep in mind are the way he acted before Harry gave him his speech, what he told him about Hogwarts, and what he didn't tell him before leaving.**

**ArtanisRose: Thank you! Reviews like that make this story worth writing. I'm really glad you enjoy it.**

**Philosophize: I have definite plans to continue and finish this story but things aren't working out as I had hoped. Read the Author's Note at the end for more.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Savior<strong>

_"I still say we should just kill her."_

Harry was currently in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, the right sleeve of his shirt rolled up while Ron, Tonks, and Ginny admired his new tattoo. This was really the first time that he had let them get a good look at it since he had gotten it. He wanted to wait until the tattoo had time to settle before he started showing it off. He hadn't hidden the fact that he got the tattoo, he had no reason to, but he wanted it to look like an actual tattoo instead of a blob of ink on his red and irritated skin before he started actually showing it to people.

"Did it hurt?" Ron asked, looking somewhat awestruck.

"Not really. It is technically a wound so it didn't feel that great but it's definitely not the worst pain I've ever felt before. All in all I think it was worth it."

"What inspired you to get it?" Tonks asked as she stroked his bicep with her right index finger.

"The tattoo or the Hogwarts crest?"

"Both."

"Well I got the tattoo to show that I'm an adult and I'm taking control of my own life now. I got the Hogwarts crest because Hogwarts is the first place I've ever felt at home and even now I consider it my second home. It's something that'll still mean something when I get old."

"Are you going to get any more?"

"I'm honestly not sure Ginny. I definitely won't right now but I would like to get something to commemorate my dad and Sirius sometime. I don't know if I actually will though."

"I don't think that right now is the best time to discuss it anyway," Hermione said as she came in the room. "The meeting is going to start in less than an hour. Babe, I know you were nervous about leading your first meeting last week but now I'm nervous about hosting them. I'm just glad that no one showed up here expecting me to cook. I can cook, you all know that, but I'm not thrilled about cooking for the entire Order."

"You don't have to worry about that Hermione. Mum told everyone that after the meeting was over dinner would be at home. She knows that you've got a lot to do and she's trying to help out as much as she can. Everyone thinks it shows real leadership for you to host the meetings here and we all realize that things are going to be a little different. We all know that you have more to do than Mum does Hermione, so we don't expect you to provide a huge meal for us."

"That does make me feel better. I still feel like I should offer something though."

"Drinks would be nice. Sitting in a room listening to people talk for over an hour can get thirsty after a while. A butterbeer for everyone would be really appreciated. At least I know that I'd appreciate it." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's last comment but she did find meaning to his words. She went to the refrigerator and wasn't at all shocked to find that there wasn't enough butterbeer for everyone.

"Is the money still sitting on the nightstand?" she asked Harry. At his nod, she promptly left the room and returned a couple of minutes later with a pouch of money. "I only got ten Galleons, babe. That should get us at least eighty-five butterbeers. I'll be back before too long."

"You want me to go with you?" Harry inquired.

"No that's alright. It's probably best if you stay here in case something happens and the Order needs you."

"I'll go with you," Ron offered. "If you're going to get that many butterbeers then you need someone to help you carry them all. Besides, none of us should really go anywhere by ourselves with the way things are. We all know that Voldemort wants to kill us all and there's no reason we should put ourselves in any more jeopardy than absolutely necessary." Surprised at Ron's moment of maturity and his carefulness, Hermione simply nodded her agreement and the two of them left.

"You don't care that she just took your money like that?" Ginny asked. Harry shook his head.

"Not at all. I inherited all of my money because I'm so lucky that a sociopathic killer murdered my parents when I was a year old so he could try to murder me too. The money means nothing to me other than the fact that I'm able to provide for myself and those who are important to me. Besides, what's mine is hers now too. We actually had a long discussion about that after last week's meeting. She wasn't very happy when I bought all of her school supplies with my money. We almost started yelling again." Tonks and Ginny looked at each other.

"Again?" Tonks inquired.

"Yeah we got into it last week after she told me that she went over and talked to you lot about her dream. Well actually I'm the one who did all of the yelling; now that it's all said and done I feel bad about it but I don't really feel like I was out of line."

"You weren't," Tonks agreed. "Hermione should've told you as soon as it happened. At the very least she should've told you before she even thought about telling us or anyone else. The thing you have to keep in mind though is that, despite her brilliance, there's nothing in a textbook that could prepare Hermione for a relationship. There's things in life that you have to learn as you go and this is one of those things. As much as I like Hermione, there's no denying that she's very logical and tends to think about things a lot more than she should; she listens to her head first and her heart second.

"On the other hand, while you do think about things, you know when to listen to your head and when to listen to your heart. You're a very instinctive person Harry; you rely on your gut just as much as your logic and your instincts are nearly always right. It's easier for you to avoid some of the major issues in a real relationship because you have your gut to fall back on. You can accept something as true without actually knowing it, something that Hermione has trouble with. It's harder for her to know how to react in a situation she's unfamiliar with, because she has to know something is true before she acts on it."

"Yeah you're right Dora. I didn't really think about that. 'Mione tends to think way too much about things that she needs to just accept. It's going to be hard to keep that in mind, but I have to remember it to keep from getting into stupid arguments."

"Harry, I don't mean to change the subject or anything, but I've been wondering how the hell you managed to convince Mum to let me in on the Order meetings. She's always been dead set against it."

"I appealed to her sense of reason Ginny, which was admittedly hard as hell. You're the only member of your family not in the Order and Dora, 'Mione, and myself are three of your best friends. Between all of us you can find out exactly what's going on. Besides, you're old enough to know what's going on and you've proven on more than one occasion that you're just as capable of handling the truth as someone twice your age. Hell, sometimes you're more capable than they would be. If you're going to find out about it anyway and you can handle the truth then what's the point of keeping it from you? I assured her that you're not actually in the Order, and even then she wasn't incredibly happy about it, but she realizes that I'm right and it's better for everyone if you hear everything all at once with everyone else."

"Well I appreciate it. I'm not really sure why but since you've become the leader, Mum's seemed less high strung. She still acts the way she always has but it doesn't take as much for her to see someone else's point of view now. It's a nice change really."

"I think it's because she realizes that you're all growing up. Molly always wanted to coddle you all and Harry being made the leader was the kick in the arse she needed to realize that you've all grown up. I think it's also helped her realize that, though her intentions are from the right place, not everyone thinks the same way she does. Yes, she's trying to protect all of you, and she thinks that keeping you at arm's length will do that, but the rest of us believe that, since none of us are really safe anyway, that you should be allowed to fight back if you want."

"We're back," they suddenly heard Hermione call out. Harry went to help her and Ron bring the butterbeer they had brought back into the kitchen while Tonks and Ginny cleared a space for it on the table. "That should be enough for at least two weeks with some left over. We'll have to pick up some soon though, if we want any for ourselves Harry. We could actually do with a shopping trip soon." Before Harry could respond, Remus strolled in clutching the _Daily Prophet_.

"Well Snape was right," he announced. "Umbridge has been named the new Headmistress. The board made the decision yesterday. They say that she'll 'provide a much needed breath of fresh air to Hogwarts,' whatever the fucking hell that means." He threw the paper on the table and stepped back in disgust. As usual, Hermione immediately picked it up to read it, with Harry reading it over her shoulder. Their plan was to read it at least, until they both spotted the familiar looking locket around the neck of Umbridge.

They looked at each other, jaws dropped. Without a word Hermione handed the paper to Ron. At first he was confused as to why they gave him the paper when he already knew that Umbridge was the Headmistress. When he noticed the locket though, his reaction was very similar to Harry and Hermione's. The three of them knew they were one step closer to bringing about the defeat of Voldemort and yet no closer at the same time. Though they now knew where the locket was they still had no idea of how to get it.

A half hour later nearly everyone had arrived and the meeting began shortly after. Umbridge was obviously on everyone's mind, though Harry, Hermione, and Ron had a different reason for being focused on the former teacher. It was all Harry could do to get out of his head and host the meeting. He stood at the front of the room, waiting for words that didn't seem to want to come.

"I've been talking to people since last week about Umbridge and what we should do concerning her appointment to Headmistress. Everyone seems to agree on one thing: all she did last time was make life hell for us at the castle. Yes, we were all happy to see her go but she wasn't what any of us would call dangerous. We can't exactly do anything just because she was a fucking pain in the arse two years ago. That being said we're not going to sit back and do nothing either. Hermione, Ron, Professors McGonagall and Snape, and myself will keep an eye on her at Hogwarts. If she becomes an actual threat then we'll deal with it. However, and I cannot stress this enough Minerva, if she does anything don't wait for a specific order; both you and Professor Snape have my full consent to use force if you feel it's necessary."

With that Harry called Mad-Eye to the front of the room to give his weekly report. The entire meeting Harry was only attempting to pay attention out of respect and because of his status as leader of the Order. He, like Hermione and Ron, was attempting to come up with a way to get the locket from Umbridge. It didn't seem that anything he came up with would work and he began to get frustrated. It wasn't until a man with long brown hair that Harry didn't really know stepped up that the young leader really paid attention.

"Mr. Potter, I think I may have a possible lead on one of the people who's sabotaging the Ministry." Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the man. He quickly surmised that this man couldn't be more than a few years older than he was but that was the only thing he could tell.

"Um, well that's great. Sorry, but who are you?"

"Brian Levington, Mr. Potter. I've just joined up in the past week and this is the first time I've been at a meeting. I'm sorry I didn't get to say anything before we started. Arthur Weasley told me I should come up here and tell this to everyone." Harry nodded and told him to proceed.

"I work at the Ministry, if that wasn't obvious, and one of my coworkers, Daniel Thomas, has been acting very strange the past few weeks. I heard him talking to a known Death Eater last week, I don't know the Death Eater's name, and he told him that he'd have more for him on September first. I really think this is something that we should pursue. Even if it's not what we're looking for, it's almost guaranteed that we'll learn something."

"I second the motion," a woman about the same age as Remus said. Harry looked over at her; he actually knew a little about this woman. Her name was Sophia Arnell and the few times that she spoke up about something was something that she felt strongly about and her instincts were usually right.

"Alright, we'll follow up on this. Do you have anything else to add, Brian?"

"Not much, Mr. Potter. About the only thing I know for sure is that Thomas is supposedly going to meet this Death Eater in the Leaky Cauldron. They're supposed to meet sometime in the morning. We need people who don't stand out to follow him. I know Thomas; if he gets the least bit suspicious that he's being followed he'll completely abandon his plans."

As he said this, Harry looked at Hermione. He didn't have to ask her the question; she could sense that he wanted to follow this man and truthfully she did too. She simply nodded and looked over at Ron. Ron understood the unasked question and nodded once.

"Harry, Hermione, and I will follow this Thomas. I can put my luggage on the train that morning and then we can wait in the Leaky Cauldron."

"Won't that immediately be suspicious that three seventeen-year-olds who should be on the Hogwarts Express are at Diagon Alley though?" McGonagall pointed out.

"Normally I'd agree with you, Minerva," Harry began, "but between the three of us we can alter our appearances enough that nobody will know we who we even are, let alone that we're seventeen. I know that any one of you here could easily do the same thing but it's well known that most of you are in the Order and that alone could be suspicious if you suddenly vanish on the same day that this man gives information to a Death Eater. No one outside of this room knows that the three of us are part of the Order and it won't look nearly as suspicious for us to miss the train. Now that we're seventeen there's a number of reasons for us to not take the train. Besides if it is suspicious to anyone they don't have any reason to really tell anyone."

"You're right," McGonagall said after a few minutes. "I'll write letters to the seventh year prefects tomorrow to let them know that the Head Boy and Girl won't be on the train and they'll have to instruct the new prefects."

* * *

><p>Eleven-thirty in the morning on September first found three Hogwarts students sitting at the bar in the Leaky Cauldron instead of on the train back to the castle. No one knew they were Hogwarts students of course; they had done such a good job changing their appearances that nobody looked twice at them. Harry's hair was now sleek and blonde, he had a matching goatee, his lightning-bolt scar was vanished and replaced by a long gash across his face, his eyes were now brown, he was very well muscled (almost to the point of a bodybuilder), and his facial appearance was completely different. Hermione's eyes were now light purple and set back in her head, her hair was black and straight (which she was actually fond of), her cheek bones were higher and more accented, her nose was smaller and slightly askew, and her face was rounder overall due to the addition of baby fat. Ron's appearance was the most drastic: his hair was long and curly, his eyebrows were bushy and slightly overgrown, he had an additional one hundred pounds of fat, and he had a long beard that was just as curly as his hair. No one would ever even guess that the three of them were students at Hogwarts, much less Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.<p>

"So any idea on how to get the locket from Umbridge?" Harry quietly asked.

"I still say we should just kill her."

"Why Ron? She's not a Death Eater as far as we know. What reason do we have to kill her?"

"She's a bitch. Is that not good enough Hermione?"

"Please don't tell me that you're-"

"Enough. He's here." Hermione and Ron both looked towards the door and saw the man they were waiting for, Daniel Thomas. Harry nodded to them. "You know what to do." Without another word he got up and walked out the back of the pub towards Diagon Alley. As soon as he was outside and away from prying eyes, he waved his wand over his head and cast the Disillusionment Charm. He silently waited for Thomas to leave with his Death Eater friend.

"So things have changed now right? He's not going to meet the Death Eater here, he's just passing through here?" Ron nodded.

"Apparently he's nervous all of a sudden, at least according to Brian. Either that or the Death Eater decided against going out in public. It's probably a bit of both but I'm willing to bet that it's more of the latter. It surprised me from the beginning when I heard that this Death Eater was willing to meet here. Knockturn Alley seems more their style than in this crowded pub. Looks like he's going outside; here goes nothing."

Ron got up and made his way outside after Thomas. Their plan was to distract the older man so they could get in front of him without seeming suspicious. They needed to be able to keep an eye on him without looking like they were keeping an eye on him. They reasoned that they easiest way to do this was to let the man see them with an excuse at the ready.

"Hey!" Thomas turned around and looked at Ron when he heard the teen yell at him. "I saw you eying my friend in there and I don't appreciate it! She's not a piece of meat for you to droll over! I should kick your arse for that, you son of a bitch!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, mate. I wasn't paying attention to either of you."

"Adam!" Hermione cried as she ran up behind the two men. "Adam, leave him alone! I'm sorry about that. He's my best friend and he's a little over protective of me. It can be a problem a lot of times honestly. I've tried to talk to him about it but he won't listen. Now apologize to him, Adam."

Ron glared at Thomas before muttering an apology that was barely heard and Hermione led him away. The two of them argued the entire time, with Ron looking back at Thomas several times before they tapped the bricks that let them into Diagon Alley. The older man looked at the two of them in complete befuddlement. He didn't know why Ron would think that he had been drooling over Hermione but he knew that he would be more careful the next time he went into a pub. It never even occurred to him that what just happened was any more than a random incident, nor did it occur to him that a Disillusioned Harry was following him as he went through the archway.

Thomas quickly yet casually strolled through the alley, doing his best to appear normal. He didn't want to seem suspicious to anyone; as far as he knew no one else knew what his plan was, and he wanted to keep it that way. As he walked down the street he noticed the couple from earlier go inside Madam Malkin's and was still surprised at what had just happened to him. He didn't want a repeat from earlier and stayed as far away from the store as possible. He walked towards Knockturn Alley and, after a quick look around to make sure that he wasn't being followed, disappeared down the dark alleyway.

Harry followed behind Thomas at a safe distance. Though he was invisible without the use of certain spells he didn't want to take the chance of the other man hearing him. He was curious as to where Thomas was heading, though he did have a slight idea, and he was even more curious who he was supposed to be meeting. The one thing he did know was that Ron and Hermione were following him, looking the perfect part of two innocent young adults who were stupid enough to browse around the alley in this dangerous time. With the way they were acting, no one would ever even think it possible that the two of them were following someone.

Harry's suspicion as to where Thomas was heading proved to be correct when he saw the man walk into Borgin and Burkes. He followed him in while Ron and Hermione stood outside, pretending to be window shopping. The three of them were convinced that the Death Eater that Thomas was supposed to meet wouldn't show their face to him, so they were hoping that Ron and Hermione might see who it was before they went inside. It was Harry's job to find out what they were talking about. Hermione and Ron didn't have to wait too long before they saw someone they were fairly certain was a Death Eater walk into the store; unfortunately they couldn't be sure since the person's hood was covering their face. Less than ten minutes later Harry walked out, a slightly disappointed look on his face.

"What happened?" Hermione immediately asked him.

"Well he's definitely helping sabotage the Ministry, but I don't know how. The only thing I was able to find out was that he's being paid to do it. Voldemort's covering his tracks well it seems. This is different for him though; usually he just threatens people to get what he wants. I don't know that I've ever heard of him actually paying anyone."

"Maybe Voldemort's not the one behind this," Ron suggested. "Maybe this is something some of the Death Eaters are doing to help him out or to take things into their own hands."

"Maybe. Did you see who the Death Eater was?"

"No. He had his hood up before he even went in there. We know it's a man, but that doesn't really help us very much. I have my suspicions that it's one of the newer Death Eaters though."

"You might be right Ron. Alright, let's go."

"We aren't going to tell anyone what we found out?"

"There's no point in it Hermione. The only thing we really found out is that this Daniel Thomas is sabotaging the Ministry. There's not much we can do about right now and it may be more useful to leave him where he is for the time being. He may end up being our savior. We'll say something about it at the meeting on Wednesday. For now let's just change our appearance back and get to the train."

* * *

><p>Eleven-thirty found Neville, Ginny, and Luna all sitting on the train making small talk between them. They were all worrying about Harry, Hermione, and Ron (Ginny had filled the other two in of course), but they tried their best not to let it show. They knew there was really nothing to worry about, since it was a simple assignment, but they couldn't stop thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong. None of them were sure how long the other three would be gone, but they didn't really expect to see them before the train made it to Hogwarts. Their conversation was cut short when the train came to an abrupt halt.<p>

"Why are we stopping?" Ginny asked. "We barely left the station a half hour ago. What's wrong?" She got her answer when several Death Eaters wearing masks walked into the compartment. She looked at them in shock for only a few seconds before giving them a look that could freeze the hottest fires in Hell.

"Hey losers," Neville began as he rose partially out of his seat, "he isn't here." One of the Death Eaters looked at him. "So why don't you get off the train so we can keep going."

"Maybe we will," the Death Eater responded, "but I think we need to teach you some respect first." He raised his wand and fired a spell at Neville. Before the young Gryffindor could even get his wand up, Ginny had erected a Shield in front of him, causing the spell to harmlessly dissipate when it hit it. Neville used the brief second to get his wand out and return fire, which the Death Eater also blocked. That was seemingly enough, as the other Death Eaters started firing off spells, causing Luna and several others to get out their wands and return fire.

The situation quickly deteriorated for the Death Eaters. They severely underestimated the students and overestimated their own power. They were determined not to run though. They wanted to send a message to everyone that they were dangerous, it didn't matter where anyone tried to hide. The longer the battle went though, the more unlikely it seemed that was going to happen.

Just as more Death Eaters began to arrive in the carriage, Harry, Hermione, and Ron appeared out of nowhere. They looked shocked at seeing Voldemort's followers on the train but almost immediately got over it and joined the battle. With the combined might of arguably three of the most powerful students in the school and the other students, the Death Eaters started going down quickly. When one of them threatened to kill the first years, Harry's anger took over.

"_Fulmisium_!" he shouted, thrusting out his left hand. Instead of the prolonged black lightning that normally accompanied the spell, a ball of black energy appeared in his hand before exploding. The Death Eater, who had only been a few inches away from the blast, was killed almost instantly, while Harry was thrown against the wall and knocked unconscious. The remaining Death Eaters, almost practically ceasing to fight when they saw their colleague dead, were quickly Stunned or otherwise incapacitated by the students.

* * *

><p>Shadow was very impressed. He had every intentions of helping the students when the Death Eaters started the fight, after all they were only children, but quickly realized that he didn't need to. They were taking the fight right to Voldemort's followers and were actually holding their own. Looking around he saw that many of the students in the carriage were former members of Dumbledore's Army, which helped explain their ability. Still, he had expected to have to save them and was pleasantly surprised.<p>

At least he was until the Death Eaters tried to overwhelm the students. He knew he would definitely have to help then. He had just raised his wand when Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley appeared right in front of him. A small smirk brushed across his face; he knew that there was no chance for the Death Eaters now. They made things even worse on themselves when they threatened to kill the first years in a feeble attempt to flee. It backfired of course; Shadow could only think of one other time when he had seen Harry that angry: when he came close to killing the Dursleys back in June.

Everything that Shadow was thinking about flew out the window however when he saw Harry use the _Fulmisium_ spell without a wand. His mind immediately went into overdrive. He knew the boy was powerful, there was no denying that, but he didn't think he would have control of that magnitude over wandless magic at this age. He knew that Harry had done magic without his wand in his hand before, but that was a simple spell and he didn't mean to do it at the time. He meant to do this and the spell he used was definitely a powerful one.

It barely registered with Shadow that the other Death Eaters had all been incapacitated and the train was safe once more. All he cared about was that Harry could do magic without a wand, a feat too useful to pass up. He knew that the boy would have to be trained in it, after all it wasn't something that could be easily learned, and he knew that he would have to be the one to teach him. As he watched Hermione bring her boyfriend back to consciousness, all Shadow could think about was when he could meet with Harry and begin to teach him things that he should have already learned.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Alright, after working on this story for two years, and having originally planned to have it finished a long time ago, I've come to the conclusion that I can only write so much of this story at a time without getting bored. I have the entire story outlined and most chapters have a rather detailed summary, so I'm not lacking for what to write. Honestly I have so many other story ideas that I can't stay focused on this one. I have four other Harry Potter stories, three Mass Effect stories, two Fire Emblem stories, and several Star Wars stories all floating around in my head. I think it would be better for me as a writer and you as a reader if I worked on another one of those stories while I continued to write this. This essentially means that, while this story should be updated every two to three weeks, at least there should be an update on a regular basis now. To those of you who have stuck it out with this story for the past two years I say thank you and the end is definitely coming. For those of you who've just started to read this, I also say thank you and I ask for your patience as well.<strong>


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, obviously.**

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><p><span><strong>Defy You<strong>

_"You're either determined to resist me or you really don't know."_

Harry was sitting on the train with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna waiting for it to arrive at the Hogsmeade station. It had been several hours since he had woken up from being knocked out by the blast from his _Fulmisiumi_ spell. It shocked him when he was able to do it without his wand, even if it didn't do what it was supposed to; admittedly he had no idea what he was going to do, he had just reacted by instinct more than anything else. It shocked him even more when Hermione explained to him that the spell had resulted in an explosion that not only knocked him out but also killed a Death Eater.

It honestly didn't bother him too much that he had killed yet another Death Eater. While it had taken him a couple of months to get over the first two kills, this one honestly wasn't weighing on his conscience as much as it would to most other people. He reasoned that if the Death Eaters were willing to attack innocent children to try to get to them, it shouldn't bother him at all that he killed another one. Harry could understand why they were trying to kill him, as well as his girlfriend and his best friend, but he honestly had no idea why they wanted to kill innocent schoolchildren. It made him sick to his stomach to think that Voldemort would condone something like this. It shouldn't surprise him, given the fact that Voldemort tried to kill him, but he could understand why he did, at least from the perspective of the Dark Lord; there was no reason for something like this though.

"I swear, I'm going to kill him for this." Ginny, Neville, and Luna looked at him in shock but Hermione and Ron weren't at all surprised. "What's the reason for him telling them to kill innocent children like this?! It's low, even for him! He will **not** get away with this!"

"Don't take this the wrong way mate, but you want to kill him just because of this? What about the fact that he wants to kill you or Hermione? What about the fact...what about everything else he's done to you?"

"I'm perfectly aware that he killed my parents and was responsible for the deaths of both Sirius and Dumbledore and I know that he's tried to kill both Hermione and myself on more than one occasion. But this is different Neville. All of us are or were actively fighting against him. These are nothing more than schoolchildren! Kids who can't stand up against them! Hermione and I can both defend ourselves and we expect that; none of them have anything to do with this." Hermione wound her arm around Harry's.

"Calm down love. I know it's terrible but there's nothing we can do about it right now. I don't blame you for being angry about it, I am too, but there's no point in it. Look around you; everyone else on here is safe and sound and it's because of you and all the other brave kids who chose to fight back. The 'kids' that Voldemort thought were defenseless just proved him wrong. Look at it that way: he's just brought more people into this fight against him."

This did little to placate Harry, though he said nothing more on the subject. He settled back in his seat and was content to just let Hermione comfort him. After a while he calmed down and jumped into the conversation with everyone else. Neville and Luna were very interested in what Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been up to before they showed up on the train. They couldn't say of course but they did mention that it had to do with stopping Voldemort. The rest of the train ride was spent further discussing what had happened over the summer.

Only a couple of short hours later the train was pulling into the station. Harry and Hermione hurried off to do their job as the Head Boy and Girl, leaving the other four behind. They found a carriage and attempted to wait for the other two. They thought they were going to have to leave them behind until the two Heads bound into the thestral-drawn carriage at the very last second. Hermione wasn't surprised at this, after all she had been a prefect for the last two years and was used to the extra responsibility, but Harry, who had never done this, was somewhat awestruck. He had no idea that being Head Boy meant that he could possibly miss out on some of the big moments of the year, this being a perfect example.

"Is it always like this?" he breathlessly asked Hermione.

"Well, I had no idea that we'd have to ensure that everyone got on the carriages without incident but yeah, pretty much. As Head Boy and Girl we're responsible for the entire student body and we've got a lot to do now." Harry groaned as the carriage finally started moving, an action that elicited a laugh from the other five. All six of them knew that this year was going to be very different than any other year, but they were only just now realizing how different.

* * *

><p>Dolores Umbridge stood up after the last student had finally been sorted. This was nothing new to everyone who had been at Hogwarts two years ago when she did the same thing but the newer students were somewhat confused. Confused or not, the entire Great Hall went silent with anger and hatred at the new Headmistress. Only a few select Slytherins were quiet out of respect.<p>

"Things are changing in our world," she began. "A year and a half ago You-Know-Who came back and brought war upon us because we wouldn't listen to him. All he wanted to do was help us. Now, because of the so-called Order of the Phoenix, he continues to wage war to make this a better place for us all. It's because of the Order that the war still rages. But fear not, for all of you are safe in here with me. I promise that I will protect each and every one of you.

"In order for me to help you though, you must all listen to me. There were a few students two years ago who did not want to listen and ended up paying the price. One in particular was severely punished." She smiled her sickly sweet, girlish at Harry and it took everything Ron and Hermione could do to keep him in his seat. "If you don't want that to happen to you then listen to me and let me help you. I don't want to have to punish any of you.

"That being said, I will not hesitate to punish you if I have to. Those that don't follow the rules will be punished for sure. I'm sure that the new Head Boy and Girl will help me not only keep order but punish those who need it. But now is not the time for all of this. Let the feast begin!"

The food started appearing on the plates as Umbridge sat back down but there wasn't the usual scrambling for food. In fact many of the younger students, and a few of the older ones, looked like they didn't want to eat at all anymore. Eventually people started to eat as Umbridge's words were pushed to the back of their minds to be digested some other time. The only people who weren't eating were Harry and Hermione, both of whom looked as if they would love nothing more than to turn Umbridge into fine dust. In fact, the only thing keeping Harry from doing so was the looks Professors McGonagall and Snape were giving him, silently telling him to keep calm.

"Can we just completely skip the feast and go home? I don't want to be anywhere near that woman right now."

"If we weren't Head Boy and Girl I'd say let's go home too. She's trying to bring us into this, like it'll be our fault if they do anything she doesn't like. You know that we'll probably be the ones who have to do something about it."

"Bullshit! There's no fucking way in hell I'm going to do anything to help her. If she wants to be a bitch and make people do her sick, demented detentions just because they don't do exactly what she wants them to, she'll have to do that herself. If it wasn't for the way Snape and Minerva were looking at me I'd make sure we didn't see her around here anymore at all."

"You know you can't do that. Attacking her here in front of all these people would most likely earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Even the Minister wouldn't be able to help you out of it. You've got to remember that only a very few people here know the truth, and one of them is a Death Eater, not to mention Voldemort's right hand. They won't see it as you defending everyone, they'll see it as you attacking the new Headmistress because you don't agree with what she said." Hermione turned around and looked at Harry to see him still snarling at Umbridge, who wasn't looking at him. "Look, don't worry about her right now, sweetheart. Let's just eat for now, we're both hungry, and then we can discuss her when we get home."

She lightly kissed him, knowing that it would help calm him down, and Harry reluctantly tore his gaze away from the new Headmistress and began eating. He knew that having Umbridge back at the school was going to be bad when he first heard of Voldemort's plan, but he didn't know exactly how bad. He got his answer a couple of weeks after school started; it took Umbridge almost no time to reform the Inquisitor Squad and it took even less time for her to put all her Decrees back in place. The school quickly fell under a tyrannical rule as she imposed her will.

It seemed that nowhere was safe from the new Headmistress. She would periodically, and randomly, appear in the House common rooms, and even some dorm rooms, making sure that everyone was following her twisted rules to the letter. She even made Harry and Hermione help her, though they just did it for show. It wasn't uncommon for them to spend their time talking and joking with the other students while they were supposed to be checking them. It was a small thing they were doing, and certainly nothing that really hindered Umbridge, but it was an act of rebellion nonetheless and everyone knew and appreciated it; given the detentions Umbridge had already handed out over stupid things, everyone knew how much trouble Harry and Hermione would both be in if she found out what they were really doing when they "checked" the Houses.

For the first month, things continued to go like this. Harry had decided that if this was the worst that Umbridge was going to be then he could deal with it. He had even started to let his guard down and actually ignored the toad-like woman, to an extent at least. All that changed one Wednesday towards the end of September. Harry and Hermione were coming in for their first class of the day, minus Ron who was eating in the Great Hall, when they were stopped by the Headmistress.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, I want to have a word with you two." The two teens exchanged looks of exasperation before turning around to face her. "I know that things have been off to a good start this year," Harry and Hermione both fought back smiles at her ignorance, "but I want to make sure it stays that way. As Head Boy and Girl, you two are the _de facto_ leaders of this school. Even if you weren't, everyone still looks up to the both of you. I know we've had our differences in the past but I want you two to get behind me and give me your support this year. Then the rest of the students will fall in line as well." Hermione suddenly had a look of disbelief on her face while Harry's face turned stony and fire burned in his eyes.

"After everything you've done to us, not just two years ago but even before that, you expect us to suddenly act like it never happened and work with you? I think I speak for both of us when I say there's no way in hell that's going to happen. All you want to do is brainwash everyone to do exactly what you want. Otherwise you'll do exactly what you did two years ago, at least according to what you said after the Sorting. You think that we'll condone those two options: believe what I say or I'll hurt you? That's not going to happen."

"This is not a democracy, Mr. Potter. This school is a dictatorship, and I am the dictator. You will all do as I tell you to or I will make you do what I tell you. One way or another, everyone will fall in line. That is not negotiable. I gave you two the opportunity to help me and make things better for everyone, but you rejected it. What happens now is on your hands."

"No, it's on your hands professor. This is a dictatorship, you just said so yourself. Harry and I will not be part of it. And this is only a dictatorship because you're making it one. Professor Dumbledore never tried to control us like you're doing. If you're determined to be a dictator then we'll defy you at every turn. Now if you'll excuse us, we have double Defense Against the Dark Arts and we really don't want to be late. Professor Snape may be understanding but he still isn't happy when we're late." The two of them turned and started walking down the hall towards Professor Snape's classroom.

"Twenty-five points each from Gryffindor for your cheek," Umbridge called after them. Neither of them gave her the satisfaction of looking back; they continued on their way as if they hadn't heard her. For once, the sickly sweet smile on the Headmistress' face had been replaced by one of pure anger and hatred. She needed a way to get the entire student body under her control and she was going to come up with something, no matter what.

"What's wrong with you, mate?" Ron asked as soon as he saw Harry and Hermione. Both of them were still seething over what Umbridge had just done but Hermione was much better at keeping her face neutral. It wasn't surprising that it was Hermione who answered him either.

"We just had a talk with Umbridge. She tried to get us to help 'everyone fall in line,' as she put it. She wants the students under her complete control and to do exactly what she wants; basically she wants to continue what she was doing last time she was here." Ron immediately shared in his friends' outrage.

"What?! Not only does she want to turn this school into a dictatorship, she's asking you two to help. Despite the way she treated you both in fifth year, this is outrageous! It isn't something she should ask the Head Boy and Girl to do!" Ron didn't get to say any more before the classroom door opened and Snape ushered them all inside.

"There is no need to go into great detail today. You will divide into pairs again and continue working on attacking and defending yourselves from jinxes in complete silence. Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley, I think the three of you should find new partners for today. Everyone else should be allowed to benefit from your expertise." Without a word, Harry went to partner with Neville while Hermione and Ron partnered with Lavender and Dean respectively. Despite their anger at the Headmistress, they managed to keep themselves under control under the class was almost over; that was when Harry swung his wand in a wide arc that caused all of the desks in front of him to slam into the wall hard enough to cause deep cracks. The _Ventiaurus_ spell was so powerful that it even forcefully pushed Neville into the wall as well, despite the perfect Shield Charm he had used.

"That seems to be a good way to end the class," Snape calmly said. "You're all dismissed. I'd like to see you for a moment though Mr. Potter." He and Hermione shared a look; he nodded at her before she kissed his cheek and started to leave. "I'm required to tell you that public displays of affection are forbidden under the new Headmistress' decrees," the professor added in a bored tone. Harry disregarded the statement; he knew that Snape didn't mean anything by it and was merely being sarcastic.

"So, would you like to tell me what happened?" he asked, as he eyed the younger man. He didn't even attempt Legilimency, knowing that Harry trusted and respected him and would most likely tell him. If he didn't then it wasn't something that Snape was going to force. Just as he thought though, Harry explained the entire ordeal to him. The Defense professor sat calmly at his desk and listened to everything his student told him. "Well you handled the situation quite well, given your well-documented feelings for her."

"But I barely held it together, Severus." Despite the newfound respect they had for each other, Snape and Harry still weren't on great terms and he wouldn't allow any student, let alone Harry, address him so casually.

"Do not...call me...that," he said slowly, emphasizing every word.

"Sorry," Harry quickly but sincerely responded. "It was a slip of the tongue. I'm used to everyone else calling you that and I'm honestly not thinking clearly right now. I honestly wanted to curse her though Professor. If Hermione wasn't there I might have. I don't want to get into that position again."

"You're going to have to control yourself Mr. Potter. That was always your father's problem and it's always been your problem. I mean no disrespect or contempt when I say that, I'm merely stating the truth. My advice to you is to talk to Ms. Granger about this and get her to help you. I am...available for you...to talk to also, if you want.

"Now you'd best go on before the next class comes in." Harry nodded and headed towards the door. He was surprised at the olive branch Snape had just extended by talking to him and was even more surprised when he had offered to be an ear for him for other times; what the older wizard said next completely floored him though. "And five points to Gryffindor, just because I feel like it." Harry went outside, temporarily shocked out of his anger.

"You'll never guess what just happened 'Mione. He-wait, where's Ron?"

"He went to talk to Umbridge about what she said to us. Babe you need to stop him. He wouldn't listen to me and I don't want her to do anything to him; we both know what kind of detention she gives people." Harry nodded again and immediately went off towards the Headmistress' office, Hermione keeping stride with him the entire way. They got there just in time to see the confrontation start and immediately tried to pull Ron away; he was determined to do this and wouldn't back down.

"You have the nerve to ask the Head Boy and Girl to help you after everything you put them through two years ago, and on something like this no less? If you want to be a dictator and try to make bow to your every whim, you go ahead and try, but don't bring them into this."

"Mr. Weasley I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts. This school will be run as I see fit and I will not have any of you questioning my authority. You'll serve a week's detention with me for your cheek and twenty points will be taken from Gryffindor. Think about that next time you want to try to tell me what to do." She got in closer to him so that only Ron, Harry, and Hermione could hear her. "I'd be more careful about how rebellious I choose to be if I were you. It'll cost you dearly in the end.

"I hate the three of you. I always have. You care nothing for anyone except yourselves. I promise to do everything I can to make your lives miserable. And if I can help certain people accomplish their goals, I won't hesitate to do so."

"If you continue to help those certain people, you'll die before the end of the school year," Ron responded. "That's not a threat either, _Professor_. That's a simple fact. One way or another, someone will end your life before long." Without waiting for her response, Ron turned around and started towards his next class, in perfect stride with the two friends he stood up for.

* * *

><p>Harry sat in one of the chairs in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Hermione sat in her usual spot right across from him. The two of them had just finished eating and washing the dishes and were going over some things for their classes. Neither of them were really into it though; they had returned from Hogwarts about an hour and a half ago to "help" the Headmistress with a problem. The problem turned out to be a student who had been bullied decided to stand up for themselves and Umbridge didn't like it. She had issued an ultimatum to the two Heads: either they punish the student or she would do it herself. Neither of them wanted to punish and humiliate someone just for defending themselves, but they knew it was better than the alternative. Still, the entire thing left a bitter taste in their mouths.<p>

"We have to do something about this!" Harry suddenly burst out. "She hasn't even been there a month and look what she's already doing! What the fuck is wrong with her, wanting to give someone two weeks of detention and take away fifty points just because a kid stuck up for themselves when no one else would? And it's worse that she brought us into it like that. It's like she's trying to turn everyone against us!"

"She probably is Harry. She told us today that she was going to make our lives miserable. We've both always enjoyed a certain level of popularity, even if we didn't want us. Very few people actually dislike us, the biggest exceptions being the Slytherins, and I'm sure she can't stand that. Fortunately, most people know the truth and they won't be swayed that easily. Hell, it's not difficult to sense the animosity we have with her and it's pretty apparent that we're trying to help everyone else out.

"The fact is, as she pointed out, the vast majority of the other students look up to us. Even most of the Slytherins are at least attempting to be friendly with us. A lot of them don't like Umbridge either. They all know the unique position we're in; as Head Boy and Girl we have certain things that we absolutely have to do, even if we don't like it. Everyone knows that we didn't want to do what we just did to that kid. He didn't deserve it; I know it, you know it, and everyone else knows it. Most importantly, they know that Umbridge knows and that she didn't care. That's what's going to keep people from hating us: they know that we don't want to do most of the stuff she's making us do. The question is, what are we going to do about it?"

"I'm honestly thinking about reforming the DA, not as a mere class this time but as an actual army of rebellion. We're obviously not the only ones who want to get rid of her. Severus and I are actually being brought closer together because of her. The problem is, she holds all of the power at Hogwarts, as much as I hate to admit it, so an underground resistance force is really the only way we can fight back against her. Even if we have the entire school, including the teachers, on our side, we can't openly confront her and expect something to happen. Even this is risky, but I think it may be our best option. It worked once and I have no reason to believe it won't work again."

At Malfoy Manor, Voldemort was stalking towards Ollivander. The wandmaker was laying down on the cold, hard, stony surface of the Malfoy's basement, fearfully waiting for the Dark Lord. He didn't have to be a Seer to know what was coming.

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Mr. Ollivander. I hope that my absence has given you time to think. I want to know more about why my wand and Potter's wand cannot duel each other. I've given you plenty of time to think about it and now I want your answer. If you can't give me one then we'll pick up right where we left off."

"Ron was right today, 'Mione. He said that Umbridge will die before this is all over. If she continues doing this then it may very well be me who does it. I'm tired of her and her superiority complex. She should be helping us against Voldemort, not trying to turn the school into her personal empire."

"You're right Ollivander. You'll die before all of this is over, IF you don't tell me what I want to know. I grow weary of having to extract information from you. If you were smart, you'd help yourself instead of continuing your feeble attempt to stop my empire."

"I wouldn't have a problem with killing her honestly." Harry looked at Hermione, a dark glare in his eyes. "It still doesn't bother me that I killed that Death Eater on the train. I'll do whatever it takes to save people." Hermione sat there listening to Harry. She was getting wetter and wetter the more she looked at and listened to him; it had been several days since they had had a chance to have sex and she was beyond horny. She knew he was too. Without a second's hesitation, she bound up out of her chair, rushed around the table, and attacked her boyfriend.

"I really don't care if you live or die Ollivander. All that matters to me is finding out why I can't duel Potter with my own wand. I don't care what I have to do to get what I want." Voldemort was staring at the wandmaker with an almost maniacal glint in his eyes. He hadn't visited the older man for several days, too long as far as he was concerned, and he desperately wanted to torture someone. Without warning, he pointed his wand at his victim and started torturing him.

Harry sat Hermione on the edge of the table, their tongues wrestling for dominance. He ripped off her shirt and unhooked her bra as he began kissing her all over her skin, making her moan.

Voldemort brought Ollivander into a standing position. He screamed in pain as Voldemort's spell caused him to feel pain akin to white hot irons all over his body.

In the bedroom, Harry pushed Hermione against the wall and grabbed her ass as he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist to encourage him.

Voldemort slammed Ollivander into the wall and lifted him into the air. The wandmaker brought his hands together as he tried to beg for the other man to end his torture.

The Boy-Who-Lived dropped his girlfriend onto the bed and pounced on her, quickly shedding her of the little bit of clothing she had left. His immediately followed, forming a pile in some unknown corner.

The Dark Lord released his spell, sending the best wandmaker in Britain crashing to the floor. He cruelly laughed at the older man's pleas, stripping him of the little bit of dignity he still had.

Hermione's head slammed into the headboard repeatedly as Harry pounded into her. The brunette paid no attention to the pain. She was entirely wrapped up in the pleasure she was feeling and the pleasure she knew Harry was no doubt experiencing.

Ollivander's head hit the wall as Voldemort flung him across the room. His entire body was wracked with pain and he couldn't concentrate on anything else. He was fearful both for his life and at the pleasure that he knew Voldemort was having at his expense.

Harry and Hermione both screamed in ecstasy as Harry emptied himself into her while Hermione was riding one of the most intense climaxes she had ever had. This intense, borderline angry sex had turned out better than either of them had hoped for.

Voldemort screamed in frustration while Ollivander screamed in pain and fear. Ollivander was sure that he was going to either be killed or driven insane by the Dark Lord. Voldemort knew that he couldn't kill the wandmaker yet; he was much too valuable. This hadn't turned out nearly as well as he had hoped.

"That was amazing Harry! I got so turned on listening to you. I have to admit that I like your dark side. If I thought we'd be able to last, I'd suggest we always take a few days in between sex. It makes it much more intense and sensual! We've definitely got to do that again though."

"That was...disappointing. I got too carried away with it. I admit that my frustration got to me. I don't much care for your defiance Ollivander. You're either determined to resist me or you really don't know. If I thought I could do it again, I'd wait a few more days before torturing you again and finding out how brave you really are. It is something that I'll have to experiment with more however."

"I don't think anything could've helped me more than that 'Mione. You're right; that was really intense and it was absolutely incredible. We'll find some way to do that on a somewhat regular basis. As long as you promise to do that again."

"That-that was the worst experience of my life. I-I really don't-don't know why your wand won't battle Potter's but I-I promise I-I'll find out something about it. Just please don't put me through that kind of torture again!"

"We'll have to see babe. Tomorrow's another day. I think we can make it through much better now after that." The two teens kissed each other one last time before drifting off to sleep.

"I'll hold you to that Ollivander. We'll find out tomorrow how serious you are. Hopefully you'll change your mind after that." Voldemort turned his back on the wandmaker without looking at him and went back up the stairs into the main part of the manor. Ollivander sighed and attempted to go to sleep, trying to come up with some way to back out of his promise and still keep his life.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: So this chapter I wanted to show Harry and Snape beginning to overcome their animosity but there's still lingering feelings of dislike between the two. I hope I did well but let me know your opinion. I also want to clarify a couple of things. First of all, the last scene was an experiment on my part. I wanted to show the similarities and differences between Harry and Hermione and Voldemort, both in what they say and what they do. Neither Harry nor Voldemort has a problem killing but Harry does it for other people while Voldemort only thinks about himself. The sex scene is meant to symbolize the ultimate physical act of love between our hero and heroine, while the torture scene is meant to show Voldemort's hatred. Like I say, it was an experiment and may or may not make a reappearance depending on how well it was received. So leave me a review and let me know whether you like it or not. Second of all, I know that scene could've been somewhat confusing, especially at the beginning, and I apologize. That was the biggest thing that kept running through my mind while I wrote it. So if I lost anyone there, then I do sincerely apologize. Nevertheless, I hope the chapter was very enjoyable for all of you.<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. D-Generation X proudly brings to you its WWE tag team champions of the worrrrrld! Oops, sorry, wrong media. Anyway, I'm back! I know it's been a while and you deserve an explanation for my absence. I took a little time off during Christmas and New Year's to spend time with my family and before I could get back into this story I got an idea for a book of my own and all my inspiration went towards that. For the past five years it's been a dream of mine to get a book published and I'm taking steps to make that happen. I have by no means abandoned this story and I have every intention of finishing it but I have to focus on what I'm currently inspired towards. Hopefully updates will come much sooner than they used to, though I can make no promises. At any rate, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Prepare for War<strong>

_**"Why tell me all this Harry?"**_

The first Sunday following Umbride's conversation with Harry and Hermione found the Trio sitting at Grimmauld Place. They were still trying to come up with an idea to get the locket away from Umbridge. Despite knowing for over a month that she had it, they still hadn't been able to put together a plan that they felt like they could pull off. Most of the ideas they came up with were admittedly well thought out, but they most likely wouldn't work given the current circumstances, mainly the fact that Umbridge never took the locket off.

"Look we all agree on what to do after we actually have the locket. We simply need to make a duplicate of it and give her the fake one. She's so self absorbed that she'll never realize it's not the one she had. None of us can seem to be on the same page when it comes getting it in the first place though. It shouldn't be too hard for us to come up with a suitable plan. Look at everything else we've done."

"We've never been in this delicate of a situation either though. You're a brilliant Witch babe, that's a well known fact, but this is a completely different situation for us. It goes without saying that we need to get the locket without Umbridge knowing, but it's much more complex than that. If she wasn't being watched over by Voldemort then we wouldn't have to be as careful; all we'd have to worry about is her accusing us of stealing it and we could prove our innocence. If Voldemort finds out about this he'll no doubt wonder why we're so interested in her locket. He won't have to dig very deep to determine that we know his dirty little secret. If he finds out that we know then we're fucked, plain and simple."

"Actually we were fucked last night, but I don't think that's what you meant."

"Alright, that's not something I want to think about so I'm going to get us back on track before I lose my lunch. I still say that we should-"

"Ron, we've already been over this. We're not going to kill the bitch just because she has the locket and deserves to die. I don't think that Scrimgeour would agree with that and I can't lead the Order if I'm in Azkaban."

"I know that mate, but that's not what I'm talking about. Why can't we give her something to eat or drink that's laced with some kind of mild sleeping potion and take the locket then? Hell Hermione did a damn good job of that in second year."

"But that was different Ron. We knew that Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't think twice about eating food they found randomly floating in the air and I wanted them to stay asleep for a while. I don't want her to stay asleep longer than necessary and I wouldn't know how much to give her for that. Besides, how would we give her the food without it seeming suspicious?"

"That's simple Hermione: we don't give it to her. We give her an excuse to take it from us."

"That'll still make her suspicious of us."

"It would make her suspicious of anyone she takes it from," Harry suddenly pointed out. "We can use that to our advantage in more ways than one." Both Ron and Hermione gave him a puzzled look, neither following his train of thought. "We can kill two birds with one stone!"

"Alright, Harry, sweetheart, what the fuck are you talking about?" Hermione could sense that he was excited and extremely confident but she didn't really know what exactly he meant.

"A lot of the Slytherins don't really care too much for her but they don't do anything to oppose her either. They both stay out of the other's way; Umbridge doesn't have a problem with the Slytherins, nor does she want to risk a Death Eater's wrath for making life difficult for their child, and the Slytherins may not like her but they don't have any reason to stand up to her since she doesn't do anything to them. So why not take this opportunity to change that? We get a Slytherin to take the blame, she goes to sleep and we get the locket, then she comes down on the Slytherins after she wakes up and we're all on the same page." Hermione and Ron looked at each other with a worried look on their faces.

"Uh, Harry, you do know that sounds a lot like something Voldemort would do right?"

"Ron, we do a lot of things that Voldemort would do, at least we have similar ideas as him. The difference is the methods we use and the reason we do it. Voldemort does the harshest things as a first resort and doesn't care about anyone besides himself; the things that we do aren't our first choice and we usually don't necessarily like it, we just know that it's our only choice. The most important thing is that we do these things for everyone else, not for ourselves. Our hearts are in the right place and we do these things to help others, despite the fact that we know we possibly face persecution when this is all over. What we do isn't right, I'll admit that, but the reason we do it is. That's the difference between us and Voldemort."

Any argument Hermione and Ron had caught in their throats at Harry's words. They knew he was right and that in the end, what really mattered was why they were doing this. They had a chance to stop Voldemort and they had to take it and if they could end up gaining new allies out of it then it would be even better.

"Alright, we're with you mate," Ron told him. "So who are we going to get to do this and what potion do we need to use? It needs to be something that wears off rather quickly, otherwise she might think that someone meant to hurt her."

"We could get Daphne Greengrass to do it. She's in Ancient Runes with me and she's not like other Slytherins. She's well liked by almost everyone in her House and a lot of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws like her too. She's even friendly with some of the Gryffindors, at least those who can get past their hatred of anyone who's in Slytherin. I hate doing this to her, she's always been nice to me, but she's probably the best person for this."

"Alright, if that's what you want to do 'Mione then we'll go with Greengrass then. As for the potion, that's a little more complicated. We know that we can make the same potion we made in second year, fuck if we made a Polyjuice Potion then we can definitely make a simple sleeping potion, but like you said Ron, we need to make sure it isn't too strong. I'll ask Severus about it tomorrow." The other two nodded their agreement.

"So how is it without us around all the time now Ron?" Hermione asked. It wasn't the first time she had asked the question but the last time Ron hadn't been very happy about it. Several weeks had passed since then.

"It's fine now. I've been spending a lot of time with Neville, Ginny, and especially Luna. We've gotten...close."

"Really? How close?" Ron looked at Harry with a slight grin on his face.

"I kissed her last night. Does that answer your question?" Harry and Hermione looked at each other and started snickering, both thinking the same thing. It was Harry who voiced their thoughts though.

"We invite you to the wedding of Ronald Weasley and Luna Lovegood..."

"Hah! We'll have to see about that one. We've both got to get through this war first. She is great though. Some of the things she says are...a little crazy, I'll admit that, but she's really grown on me. You get used to the things she talks about and after a little while it's easy to go along with it. Actually, speaking of Luna, I should probably get back to the castle and see her."

"You spent the afternoon with us instead of your girlfriend or potential girlfriend or whatever she is? You've come a long way from when you were with Lavender."

"Luna's not as needy as Lavender was and I've grown up since then too. We both realize that we need time to ourselves."

"Well don't forget that Luna's our friend too Ron," Hermione told him, speaking for both her and Harry. "We'd like it if she came around here some. Neville and Ginny drop by every once in a while and it'd be nice if she would too."

"I'll let her know. She'd be happy to come over here. I'll see you two tomorrow then." They bid each other goodbye and Ron left for Hogwarts while Harry and Hermione set about getting ready for a date they had planned earlier that week.

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><p>The next morning was mostly uneventful for the two teens, with the exception of Umbridge trying her best to impose her will on them again. The Headmistress had been relentless every since their conversation, determined to either get the Head Boy and Girl to fall in line with her or to make their life a living hell. As usual, they did their best to ignore her and make their way to their first class without incident, though Hermione had to calm Harry down once or twice. Umbridge's actions only served to remove any doubts Hermione may have been harboring about their plan. They arrived outside Snape's classroom to find Ron already waiting for them.<p>

"You're already here Ron?" Harry asked. "You alright mate?" Ron chuckled.

"Yeah I'm fine. Luna's class is on the seventh floor so after she left I decided to just wait here. I didn't really have time to go back down to the Great Hall. So how was your date last night?"

"It was nice," Hermione responded. "There weren't many people out except college kids, and they were behaving themselves as well as can be expected. Harry almost hexed a group of guys who kept looking at me, but that's not too bad. I can't say anything either. There were a few girls who blatantly flirted with Harry right beside me that I wanted to attack. We kept each other grounded though."

"What's a college kid? Is that some kind of sickness?"

"Haha, no Ron. In the Muggle world we go to school until we're eighteen and then a lot of us go on to a university, or college. It's a way to further our education." Ron clearly didn't understand the concept and Hermione found herself at a rare loss to describe it any better. Fortunately Harry took over for her.

"Think of it this way Ron: the people who go to university or college or whatever you want to call it are going to a Muggle equivalent of Auror training. They usually have to go longer than three years though and it's not nearly as grueling as training to be an Auror."

"Alright now that makes sense. Anyway, you almost hexed a bunch of Muggles? It almost sounds like you two are becoming as jealous as Lavender and I were."

"This wasn't done out of jealousy Ron," Hermione clarified. "I'll admit that I didn't like those bitches hitting on Harry like that and I know he didn't like those boys staring at me but that's not why we felt like that. Both of us felt very disrespected by it, it was obvious that we were together, and more importantly I knew that Harry didn't like the attention he was getting and he knew that I didn't like the attention I was getting. We both trust each other so, while we admit that we have bouts of jealousy, we feel no desire to act on them. I know that Harry loves me and won't try to make me jealous and he knows that I feel the same way about him. The problem that Lavender had was that she said you were hers, as in you belonged to her, and that you had to do everything she wanted you to do."

Ron shrugged but didn't get to say anything else as Snape had chosen that moment to usher them all inside his classroom. The three of them filed into the room with everyone else and took their usual seats in the middle, nodding at Snape as they passed him. The class itself was the same as usual, and they were all eagerly waiting for it to be over. After what seemed like an eternity Snape finally dismissed everyone and Harry made his way up to the Defense Professor's desk.

"Professor Snape, I have a question to ask you. I need your help with something."

"What is it Mr. Potter? I'm very busy right now." Harry looked around to make sure they were alone and leaned closer to the desk.

"I need to make a sleeping potion just strong enough to put someone to sleep for ten or fifteen minutes, twenty at the most." Snape looked up at the young Wizard, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"And who exactly would you use this potion on, Mr. Potter?"

"Our Headmistress, Dolores Umbridge. She has something that's critical to defeating Voldemort and I don't think she'll just hand it over to me. Even if she would I don't want him to find out about it. It could prove...problematic if he did."

"What is this item that you're trying to get?" Harry hesitated. He trusted Snape not to say anything but he was worried that Voldemort would use Legilimency and find out. Snape noticed his hesitancy.

"You forget that I've been serving as a double agent for years Mr. Potter and have yet to be caught. Besides, why would the Dark Lord suspect me of knowing anything he didn't tell me himself?"

"You're right Professor. I didn't think about that. My apologies."

"It's understandable, given our past. There's a lot we don't know about each other."

"True. Alright Umbridge is wearing a necklace that used to belong to Salazar Slytherin. Now it holds a piece of Voldemort's soul and we need to get it and destroy it to make Voldemort mortal again." Snape's eyebrows slightly raised in understanding, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Harry. "I take it you know what I'm talking about then."

"I do. I'll help you. However, since you told me that you plan to basically poison our Headmistress, I have no choice but to punish you for it Mr. Potter."

"I understand sir."

"Good. You, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley all have detention with me this Friday night. One hour should be enough to get the potion started. It will be several weeks before the potion is finished and ready to use though."

"Thank you Professor," Harry responded before leaving. Hermione and Ron were waiting for him outside. "We've got detention Friday night," he said before either of them could ask him anything. "Really it's just a cover though so Severus can help us make the potion. Now we need to worry about the DA. There's going to be a meeting during our trip to Hogsmeade on Saturday, just like last time, except we're going to meet in the Three Broomsticks this time. I'm going to see if Rosmerta will give us a room we can use upstairs so we'll have a little bit more privacy.

"Ron, we need you to tell Luna and Ginny and we'll tell Neville in Herbology this afternoon. Make sure you tell them to tell people that no one will get in unless one of the six of us have specifically told them about it. We want to make sure we can trust everyone there so we're not going to let anyone in who hasn't been told by one of us. We don't need a repeat of what happened last time with Edgecomb and this time Umbridge has even more power at her hands, not to mention someone even more powerful backing her. I know that all six of us can handle whatever Umbridge decides to throw at us but I don't want anyone else to suffer for it and I don't want to worry about whether or not I can trust the people who're there."

Ron nodded his understanding and the three of them made their way to the Great Hall, discussing the potion and the hopes they had for Dumbledore's Army this time. It wasn't a time of serious discussion for them, it was more of a casual, offhand conversation. Despite the responsibilities they all had now they still felt as though they had the right to enjoy some time as normal teenagers. Luna came to sit with them during lunch and Ron wasted no time in telling her about the meeting. For the next half hour the four of them spent time laughing and joking, trying not to think about all the things that could go wrong between then and Saturday. As they were leaving, McGonagall caught them and asked to speak with Harry. She led him to her office and sat at her desk before finally addressing him.

"So Severus tells me that you have detention with him Friday night Harry, along with both Hermione and Ron. He wouldn't give me details about it, insisting that I ask you myself. When I made the decision to make you Head Boy it was under the assumption that you had grown up and wouldn't provoke Severus or our Headmistress anymore. So I'm asking you now, what did you do to cause Severus to give not just you but two of your classmates detention? Do I have to inform Dolores that she may have to start searching for a new Head Boy?"

"Minerva I understand your disappointment but there's nothing for you to worry about. The detention is only a cover up. You know as well as I that if the three of us had done something to warrant all of us getting detention that Severus would most likely take points from us as well and he wouldn't have hesitated to tell you the reason. Besides, we're all getting along much better now."

"I thought you were. That's why I was so confused and disappointed about it. What's this detention a cover up for though?" Harry closed the door and put the _Muffliato_ spell on it. He wasn't sure what the school policy was in regards to a teacher being alone in a room with a student while the door was closed but admittedly he wasn't worried about that at the moment. This was very important information and he couldn't risk anyone else finding out about it. In fact the only reason he was telling McGonagall in the first place was because she was a member of the Order.

"I know that Dumbledore told you about Voldemort's Horcruxes so I don't need to go into detail on that. Umbridge has one of them, though she doesn't know it. She wears a locket that used to belong to Salazar Slytherin and that now holds one of the Horcruxes. Hermione, Ron, and myself got the idea to put her to sleep and take the locket from her. We can duplicate it so she'll never know it's missing and destroy it at our leisure. Severus is going to help us start the potion we'll use, since we need it to be very specific, which is the entire point of the detention. Given our past with him it's actually a really good excuse."

"Why put her to sleep though? Why not just Stun her? You know that if any of you three give her something that puts her to sleep she'll immediately be suspicious of all of you."

"Honestly, we're trying to do two things here. We're not going to give it to her ourselves, we're going to have someone else do it, someone in Slytherin House. We're not trying to get them in trouble, we're trying to get everyone on the same page. Surely you've noticed that most of the Slytherins are less hostile to the rest of the school now, but even so they seem to have a truce with Umbridge. She's going to blame whoever gives her whatever it is that puts her to sleep and I hope that it pushes the Slytherins over the edge. If the entire student body is united against her then things will be very difficult for her and it may be just the thing to make Voldemort lose confidence in her. If not then at least the year should be somewhat better." McGonagall was quiet for a time as she contemplated what Harry just told her.

"Why tell me all this Harry? There's a reason that Dumbledore kept information like this secret from just about everyone. If You-Know-if Voldemort finds out what you're doing the whole thing will fall apart. This is our only way to finally defeat him and the fewer people who know about this the better."

"I told you this because I think it's something you should know. Trust isn't an issue between us, it never has been, so the only reason I wouldn't tell you is because it's possible that Voldemort could capture you and use Legilimency on you. I'm not worried about that either though because you'll be here the majority of the time and we both know that Voldemort won't dare attack Hogwarts, not at random at least. And if you do find yourself in a situation where you may get captured I know that you'll fight to the death. You know how important all this is and you're willing to give your life for it if necessary. Besides, Voldemort wants you dead anyway, even if you didn't know this. If I was at all worried about Voldemort finding out about this or, more importantly, about your safety I wouldn't have said anything."

McGonagall sat at her desk for a time, digesting everything she had just been told. Eventually she nodded and dismissed Harry, telling him that she would take care of things if anyone gave him trouble for his tardiness. He hurried down to the greenhouses and took up his usual place with Hermione and Ron, both of whom immediately questioned him about what McGonagall wanted. After assuring them that everything was fine and that it was just a misunderstanding he informed Neville of the DA meeting that Saturday. The rest of the class progressed normally and Harry and Hermione soon found themselves back at Grimmauld Place, continuing with their preparations for the coming week.

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><p>That Saturday found Harry, Hermione, and Ron in a room in the <em>Three Broomsticks<em> with nearly fifty other students. They had convinced Madam Rosmerta to allow them use of the room for what they called a party, though the reality was far from it. Nevertheless there was a number of butterbeers and different kinds of snacks on a table by the door. Everyone inside was excited and a low buzz of conversation could be heard until Harry stood up to speak.

"Alright, everyone settle down," Harry told everyone in the room as Hermione shut the door. She cast the _Muffliato_ spell on it and sat a Sneakoscope on the table before motioning for Harry to carry on. "Now you're all here to join the second incarnation of Dumbledore's Army. For those of you who were part of it last time, I'll warn you now that there's going to be some big changes. Like we did last time, you will be taught how to better defend yourselves against Voldemort but we're going to take it one step further.

"This time the DA is going to be a rebellion as well as a class. Now that that bitch Umbridge has more power, she's practically turning the school into a living hell, as I'm sure you've all noticed. Hermione and I are trying our best to fight her, and I know that several of you are too, but there's only so much we can do. We need to do more than just give her a hard time and that's going to be one of the focuses of the DA this time. If anyone doesn't want to be part of that then let Ron or myself erase your memory of this meeting and you're free to go."

"What else can we do though Harry?" Ginny asked after it became apparent that no one was leaving. "Ron, Neville, Luna, and I are doing all that we're comfortable with and that's not very much. Fuck, we don't really have very many options here that don't get us in trouble. You and Hermione don't have to stay here and put up with that fucking bitch anymore than what's absolutely necessary but the rest of us don't have that luxury. If we get in trouble it's a big deal."

"Calm down Ginny," Hermione spoke up. "Harry didn't mean it that way. You forget too, even though we don't have to put up with that bitch as much as you do, it's still a big deal if we get in trouble. Actually in our case it's probably worse because if we get in trouble too much our esteemed fucking Headmistress can use that as a reason to make someone else Head Boy or Girl. We don't want to see that happen because as it is, we're helping the students more than it may seem. There's a lot that Umbridge wants us to do that we haven't done and have no plans to do."

"She's absolutely right," Ron agreed. "They've told me some of the things the bitch wanted them to do and it's a good thing they didn't listen to her, otherwise we'd have no privacy at all. And Ginny don't think that we haven't thought this whole thing through. We've come up with a few things that should alleviate some of the stress you have there."

"Can I get back to running this meeting now?" Harry asked. "Thank you. Just as Ron said, we have things worked out. 'Mione, Ron, Neville, and myself are seventh years and we're more than willing to take the risks Ginny was talking about. Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Seamus, Anthony, Padma, Terry, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Susan, I know you're all seventh years too but I haven't had the chance to speak with you about this and I don't presume to speak for any of you.

"Provided that they, and possibly some of the sixth years, wish to help out too, that's at least fifteen people who can actually do something without much fear of a harsh reprimand. As a seventh year, and even as a sixth year, there really isn't a lot that can be done as far as discipline is concerned. Besides, we have the teachers on our side this time. Over the past week we've spoken to the Heads of Houses and a few other key teachers and they all agree that they'll do whatever they can to help us out. So with that in mind, 'Mione, if you'll pass out the coins please.

"Those of you who were part of the DA last time will recognize these," Harry continued as Hermione passed around the fake Galleons they used last time. "However, we've added to them. The last two serial numbers no longer tell you the date and time of the next meeting. The first three numbers tell you that now: the first two are the day and the third one is the time. The last three numbers will be a code to inform everyone of something that's happening, such as Umbridge trying to give someone a detention because she thinks they're lying to them, and the fourth from the last will be what floor it's on. I'm the only one who can change the first three numbers but anyone can change the last four. Whenever something happens, anyone who wants to help can go to that floor and do whatever they can to stop whatever's going on. We need to look out for everyone else in Hogwarts, even the Slytherins."

"Why the Slytherins?" a fourth year Gryffindor asked. "They're nothing more than bullies and they're actually helping Umbridge. I don't think they have anything to be worried about."

"Only a select few are actually helping her," Hermione clarified. "We think that most of them merely tolerate her presence and have an agreement policy with her. Basically as long as she doesn't do anything to them, they won't cause problems for her. It's crude but it seems to work and we can't exactly fault them for it. What you have to remember is that they're students just like the rest of you and they're just as afraid of Voldemort."

"So it's true then?" Parvati inquired. "You-Know-Who really has taken control of Hogwarts?" Hermione looked at Harry who shrugged, evidently not worried about them knowing.

"There's no real reason for him to be secretive about so it's bound to get out and I really don't think he cares if it does. It's not like anyone can stop him at the moment. I don't think anyone in this room will be any less safe for knowing the truth." Hermione nodded and turned back to the group.

"Yes, Parvati, Voldemort has taken control of Hogwarts. He's got the Board of Governors under his thumb and it was on that ground that Umbridge has been instated as Headmistress." She hesitated for a second before adding, "we also know that she has ties to known Death Eaters now as well." The news was taken about as she expected: a look of horror came over most everyone in the room.

"I think you might have overdid it babe," Harry told her. "That's alright though, they needed to be told that at some point too and now is just as good a time as any. Does that change any of your opinions about being part of the group?" No one left again, though several people still looked apprehensive. "Alright, then it's settled. Are we going to have them sign something like last time?" Hermione shook her head.

"No it didn't work out as well as I'd hoped last time. I have another idea I'd like to try, if you don't mind." Harry sensed her determination and raised an eyebrow at her but consented to her nonetheless. "This time around we're going to rely on each of you keeping the others safe instead of a piece of parchment. Should any of you decide to alert Umbridge to this, know that we will vehemently deny it and anyone who can't prove their innocence will be in trouble because you were a coward. Know that their punishment is because of you." She let the statement sink in before continuing.

"I know that this may seem harsh but it's the best option. Know that all of you are in this room right now because Harry, Ron, and myself feel like you can be trusted. We believe that you're serious and determined to fight back against Umbridge and as long as you stand with us, we'll stand with you. None of us will turn our backs on you and any who do will deeply regret it. This time we're taking the fight to the bitch and we aren't going to back down." Though everyone was clearly moved by Hermione's speech, Harry gave them no time to contemplate it.

"Alright I think we've been in here too long. The first official meeting will be a week from now at seven o'clock on the seventh floor. For those of you who don't know, the door will be across the hall from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. If anyone has any trouble finding it, just ask any one of the older students. Now I think it's best if you all leave in groups of four or five so we don't arouse too much suspicion."

Heeding his advice, the other students left little by little, eventually leaving only Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville. They went downstairs themselves, paid Rosmerta for the room, and enjoyed the time they had left in the village. It was late when Harry and Hermione finally returned to Grimmauld Place, feeling a sense of accomplishment at what they had achieved.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: Alright I know it's been a while yet again. I had the idea for this chapter as soon as I finished the last one but between my other story, personal issues with my psycho ex-girlfriend, work, and some amazing video games, it got put on the back burner and I just now got back to it. But the good news is that I'm bound and determined to post chapter 35 by December 23rd at the latest so expect an influx in chapters over the next month and a half. I'm also determined to finally finish this story early next year so I'll be devoting a lot of time to it in the next several months.**

**Disclaimer: It hasn't changed from last time, I still don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace<strong>

_"I don't know but it doesn't matter right now."_

Harry fell back onto the bed, fighting the sleep that threatened to overtake his body. He loved Quidditch of course, and he was glad to be Captain, but there was no denying that it could get taxing at times. Their first few practices had been quite good up until today. Harry knew it was because of the anticipation of the upcoming match but that wasn't an excuse. The only new player was their new Chaser, Quinn Turner, and he had already proven that he was calm under pressure. Everyone else should have been used to the pressure of the first game of the season but he had been disappointed by them all.

"So how was practice?" Hermione asked from the doorway.

"Exhausting. Everyone's on edge about the opening match next weekend. You'd think Ron would have gotten his nerves under control by now but he hasn't. He and Ginny almost got into it, which doesn't surprise me. Between that and everyone else's general arguing and yelling we didn't get much done. I ended up losing my temper and Ginny had to calm me down."

"Yeah, I felt when you did." Hermione had made her way over to the bed and was now sitting beside him with a sympathetic look on her face. "I was worried for a second but then I realized that it probably wasn't because of Umbridge. I didn't get this for you but here." She handed him the bottle of Firewhisky she was holding. "Maybe it'll make you feel better."

"Thanks." He took a quick drink and continued. "So I take it that something bad happened during the mission? I sensed your anger too and you've got a half-full bottle of Firewhiskey."

"Oh, no sweetheart. We already had the bottle here. I've just had a few drinks from it. The mission was actually pretty boring. I think Remus found something but he said he'd tell you tomorrow.

"What made me so mad was something that woman Sophia Arnell said. She went on about how you shouldn't be the leader of the Order and that you don't have any idea what you're doing. That alone wouldn't have bothered me that much but she made it a point to mention what she'd do differently and how much better she'd be. I wanted to hex her but 'Dora calmed me down and then she started defending you before I could. I've never known her to yell like that. She thinks very highly of you Harry."

"It sounds like it. I'll have to think of a really good way to thank her. I'll talk to Ms. Arnell too. For the time being though, what can I do to help you get over your anger? I know the Firewhiskey didn't do anything."

Without hesitation Hermione kissed him, her tongue immediately battling with his, and only stopped to utter two words: "shag me." Just a few months ago Harry would have been shocked at how blunt she was, not to mention her crudeness, but he was used to it now. Nevertheless, he gave her a very pointed look. "Don't look at me like that. You heard me, I want sex." While Harry had absolutely no problem granting her request, despite his weariness, he was feeling slightly mischievous and decided to tease her.

"Angry sex? I don't know about that baby. I think we should-"

"Harry, honey," Hermione interrupted while struggling with his belt, "shut the hell up and fuck me. Is this damn belt glued on?! Never mind." She snatched her wand off the nightstand and waved it, causing all the clothing on Harry's lower body to vanish. He opened his mouth to protest her actions but a hiss came out when she took him into her mouth and his hands instinctively went to her hair. For a few moments he writhed in pleasure helping shed Hermione of her clothes as well.

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><p>Two hours later a naked Harry was lying on his back with an arm around an equally naked Hermione at his side. They were both winded and covered in sweat but neither could deny the pleasure they had just experienced. Despite knowing that staying there wasn't an option, they didn't want to move or even speak for fear of ruining their bliss. Hermione finally broke the silence after several long minutes.<p>

"That was...absolutely amazing Harry. It's exactly what I needed." She felt his happiness intensify and decided that now was a good time to broach a topic that had been on her mind a lot recently. "Do you think it's weird that we can sense each other's mood or that I know spells that you create and vise versa?"

"Honestly, not really. I'll admit I was shocked at first, who wouldn't be, but it never actually struck me as weird. It's unusual, I think we both agree on that, but it feels right." Hermione thought about it and realized he was right. She had been so focused on finding what this was that she never really took the time to think about how natural it felt. A smile took over her face as she snuggled closer into her boyfriend's side.

"I'd still like to know what it is though, or at least how it happened." She felt Harry's body shake with silent laughter. "What?"

"You always have to know the answer to everything. It's cute." He kissed the tip of Hermione's nose as she lightly blushed at the compliment. "I've been thinking about it though and I may have an idea. I think Remus may have been onto something before. Think about how close we are."

"It it was just because of our closeness we'd be able to sense Ron's emotions too."

"It you think about it we can. Granted he usually only has one of six emotions-joy, humor, anger, sadness, hunger, and tiredness-but we can still feel his emotions just as we can each other's. We just don't notice because he tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve so there's no need to delve any deeper." Harry was making sense but Hermione still wasn't sure.

"I don't know Harry. It seems like it'd take more than just that closeness."

"But it is more than that 'Mione. The three of us have been inseparable for the past six years. We've laughed together, we've cried together, we've come to each other for almost every problem, we've eaten and drank together, we've seen people die together. We've been through things few others have and we're closer than family because of it." Harry's conviction was beginning to convince Hermione. Since returning to school she had learned to trust Harry' instincts as much as he did and it was clear that he was following them now.

"Alright but what about the intensity that we feel each other's emotions? Or that we can feel them from miles away, like we did today? Or that we know and can do spells the other created without being told about it?"

"Our power. I'm not bragging when I say that we're exceedingly powerful. We wouldn't be in the Order at this young of an age otherwise. Hell our duel with Voldemort back in July is proof that we're powerful."

"Well then we have to include Ron's power too then. He's not quite as powerful as we are obviously but the difference is practically nonexistent."

"Right and that's where the third aspect enters the equation: our relationship, as Remus pointed out. 'Mione the two of us share something that we never will with Ron. The love we have for each other is so strong that it transcends distance. Our minds are constantly so in tune with each other that we can sense emotional changes, just like our bodies are during sex."

"That makes sense but wouldn't we be able to other things?"

"Maybe we can but it takes time for it to happen. We've only been together for three and a half months and it took six years to get to the point we're at now. Besides, this is just a theory. I could be completely wrong about the whole thing."

"You're not, I can feel it. Your instincts are usually right. I just wish we could learn more this. It'd be nice to know the full capabilities of it."

"Unfortunately I don't think this is anything we can study. Remember, we found out about it by accident so it's likely that everything else we learn will be accidental too." Hermione nodded once then sat up and stretched while Harry her lithe form. Despite their teenage hormones, their mental maturity usually dominated and both of them discovered that they could easily appreciate the other's naked body without their thoughts turning sexual.

"I'm going to take a shower," Hermione declared as she rose from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "Do you want to join me?" Without a word, Harry followed her and planted a soft kiss on her lips as they waited for the water to heat up. The first time they had taken a shower together they learned that they enjoyed the intimacy of being with each other during what was meant to be a private affair more than the sex they ended up having. Since then the act of taking a shower together was usually tender and intimate instead of sexually charged. They took their time, letting the water wash away the grime and lingering emotions from the day and enjoying the feel of the other's fingers on their skin.

"'Mione?" Harry began towards the end of the shower. The Witch in question made a noise in her throat that let him know she heard him but she didn't actually say anything; she was too focused on his fingers massaging her scalp while he washed her hair. "Have you had that dream about Bellatrix anymore?" Her eyes suddenly shot open and her body stiffened at the unexpected question.

"I haven't been talking to anyone else about it, if that's what you're asking," she defensively responded. "I thought you had moved on from that." Harry sighed, wanting to prevent the argument he knew was most likely coming.

"You misunderstood me babe. I only ask out of concern. I thought that maybe you have but you didn't want to mention it or haven't had a chance to because of everything else we've had going on lately."

"I said I'd tell you if it happened again so will you please just drop it? You know you've messed up plenty of times over the years and I don't keep bringing it up. I make one fucking mistake and you don't let it go!"

"That's not fair." Harry's tone was harsher than he had meant for it to be but at that point he didn't care. "Just because you're smart it doesn't mean you're fucking perfect. Besides, you only assumed that I was bringing that back up out of spite." He turned her around to look at him and his tone softened. "Listen, I've been thinking about it since then and I understand why you didn't tell me. I believed, and still do believe, that there should be no secrets in relationships, but I also believe there's a time and a place for everything. You didn't think the time was right and I accept that. I still don't like that you didn't tell me but I understand now and I accept it." Hermione gave him a stony look before her features relaxed and she laid the side of her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have exploded like that. It's just that I know I messed up before and I thought you were going to blame me too. I blame myself enough as it is, I don't need anyone else doing the same thing." She wrapped her arms around Harry, who returned the gesture, giving her the comfort she was seeking. "So I'm not perfect?"

"Not even close. You're perfect for me, but you're by no means a perfect person. I'm so grateful too, because that would be boring as hell." Hermione smiled at his words and the two stood like that for a minute before she reminded him that she still needed to wash the rest of the shampoo out of her hair. Harry nodded and exited the shower, giving her the space she needed. After she was finished and they were dry and dressed in clean clothes, they began their near nightly tradition of preparing dinner together. Halfway through the meal Hermione steeled herself for a conversation she didn't really want to have but knew was necessary.

"Harry I know it's only halfway through October but I'm worried you're already spread too thin." At this point she had to hold up her hand to keep him from interrupting her. "Please let me finish. It's obvious that you're stressed, you look more and more haggard with every passing day, and I can see in your eyes that you're always tired. Please let us help you."

"I'm fine 'Mione," Harry responded, giving her a smile. The only warning he had that she was suddenly about to explode was the anger that flashed across her eyes.

"Dammit don't you fucking lie to me Harry Potter! I didn't like it before we were together and I'm sure as hell not going to stand for it now! How do you expect me to help you if you don't tell me the fucking truth?!" Harry glared at his girlfriend, the smile having left his face. In the past this look might have unnerved her but now she didn't even falter. When he spoke again his voice was firm and icy.

"I told you I'm fine. I've already said that if I get overwhelmed I'll let Ron take over as Quidditch Captain and you can take over the majority of the DA. I'm not going to try to do everything myself. I appreciate your concern but I know my own body and I know when I've been stretched to my limits. The reason I'm so stressed and tired is because of Umbridge. Everything about her is getting to me: what she's doing to the school, getting the locket from her, what happens if we fail, all of it. I'm not worried for myself, I'm worried for you and everyone else. And it especially bothers me that we're using Greengrass like this." Hermione heard the sincerity in his voice and knew he was telling the truth; her features softened instantly.

"Everything's going to be alright Harry. The DA's already starting to cause serious problems for her at school and Severus is helping us with the potion so we know it's going to work. I'll admit that I'm having reservations about involving Daphne too though. We'll talk to her and explain things, let her make up her mind about what she wants to do. Why haven't you said anything about any of this?"

"I thought you already knew." The look Harry was giving her told her that he still wasn't happy with her outburst and he was being more than slightly sarcastic but she let it slide. It wouldn't do any good to argue about something so small and insignificant.

"I can't get through your Occlumency shield and I wouldn't want to even if I could. I don't want to have to invade your mind to find out things like that. I want you to tell me yourself. I want you to share your burdens with me Harry. I want to be able to be there for you."

"That's not what I meant. You always know what's bothering me before I do so why should I have to tell you?" Hermione immediately understood what he was insinuating and felt her anger start to flare up again.

"Alright look, I'm sorry for assuming you lied to me. I do know you better than you know yourself, we can both agree on that, but I still shouldn't assume anything. You shouldn't assume that I know everything about you either. Even if I did, I'd still like it if you told me. We're supposed to be a team, you said so yourself, so we need to be open and honest with each other." Harry continued to glare at her for nearly half a minute before finally relaxing, giving her a nod, and returning to his food.

Now that they had settled that particular issue, at least for the time being, Hermione went back to her own food. As she ate she couldn't help but think about the past few years and how they had always been there for each other, even when no one else was. Fourth year in particular came to mind. Despite everything that happened, she was especially fond of that year because she was convinced that was the year they fell in love with each other, even if they hadn't realized it at the time. Of course thinking about the tournament also brought back memories of Rita Skeeter and what she put them through; if only the disgraced writer could see them now. The thought made Hermione giggled which earned a look of curiosity from Harry.

"I was just thinking about the article Skeeter wrote about us in fourth year, the one that claimed we were together. When she wrote it I never imagined that we'd be here right now." She rushed on to explain herself as Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "I just never thought we'd be in a relationship and living together, especially not while we were still at Hogwarts. I never thought I'd find myself thinking of you in sensual ways and actually be able to act on them. I honestly never thought that I would be anything more than a bookworm who wouldn't even think about breaking the rules if I could avoid it." Harry gave her a sympathetic look at the sadness he felt washing over her, one that she saw and attempted to subdue.

"Don't misunderstand me sweetheart, I was happy with myself and I wasn't going to change for anyone. It was somewhat lonely and disheartening that most people tended to shy away from me though and I can understand their perspective. I'll admit that I could be a challenge to get along with. Hell, even though I've changed over the years I was still too uptight for my likeness. Being with you has started to change me into what I want to be though, and it's because of you, not for you. I'm still true to myself and who I am but now I don't care if people I don't know follow the rules or do their best."

Harry smiled as he thought about her words and the situation as a whole. He knew exactly what she meant. It was one thing to be friends with someone and completely different to be in a relationship with that same person. Your personalities were bound to rub off on each other and Harry would be lying if he said that Hermione's influence hadn't brought a positive change to him as well. Deciding to tease her slightly, as he already knew the answer of course, he asked her if she regretted the changes he brought into her life.

"You know I don't regret it at all you prat. I like the person I am now. You've had such a positive influence on my life and I know I've influenced you for the better too. Actually, knowing what we know about this relationship now, I wish we had discovered how we felt sooner. Imagine how much better things would have been over the years." Harry was about to make a scathing comment but realized the truth behind her words. He settled for nodding in agreement, not trusting himself to leave his words unsaid, and went back to his meal.

After they had both finished eating and the dishes had been cleaned and put away, the two teens went into the study to start working on some of the homework they'd had to put off. As they worked Hermione couldn't help but think about the state of the room versus the majority of the rest of the house. Other than this room, the only rooms they actually made time to clean were the kitchen, the living room, and their bedroom. They both weren't exactly happy about it but they couldn't devote time to cleaning areas that neither spent much time in. Nevertheless, Hermione did wish they could make their house look decent, to give the impression that they actually did some housekeeping.

"Harry, is there any way we could clean the entire house soon? Maybe next weekend or sometime when we both have a free night? I know we don't have much time but wouldn't it be nice to make this place look somewhat presentable?" Harry was silent for a few minutes as he mulled an idea over in his head. Truthfully he had been thinking about the same thing recently but his idea of keeping the house didn't involve the two of them as much as it did a certain other creature. The question was would Hermione go along with it knowing how she felt about that particular issue. Deciding it was worth it to at least bring it up, he shrugged his shoulders and answered her.

"What if we had Kreacher help us? I know you don't like the idea of house-elves," he quickly pressed on when he saw Hermione open her mouth to retaliate, "but we won't treat him like a traditional house elf. I know that he's responsible for Sirius' death too, and part of me will always hate him for that, but Voldemort is ultimately the one to blame. I don't necessarily like the idea of him cleaning for us like this either but it's the best solution. As it is now he belongs to me, whether he's here or at Hogwarts, and you know as well as I that we can't set him free."

"It doesn't matter, it's still wrong to willingly enslave another living creature like that. I don't want to use him like that, even if he was one of the reasons that Sirius was killed. No one deserves to be slave to anyone, I don't care what the reason is."

"In all honesty, I think that slavery is the wrong word for it. I know how you feel about it sweetheart, and I'm not trying to justify it or discard your feelings, but it seems to me that most of them are happy doing what they do. It doesn't seem like they're forced to do things they don't want to do for the most part and they enjoy taking care of their masters. I know that Dobby and Kreacher hate it but Dobby was abused by the Malfoys and Kreacher...Kreacher wasn't treated very nicely either. Most Witches and Wizards seem to treat their house-elves at least better than the Malfoys." Harry's words hit her and Hermione started chewing her bottom lip as she thought about the idea.

"If, and right now that's a big if, we do this, how would we go about it? I don't want him doing anything he doesn't feel comfortable doing and I don't want him to punish himself. We'll need to treat him with affection too."

"You're right," Harry agreed, nodding. "I was planning on giving him orders that he can't punish himself for anything. If he feels like he did something bad then he needs to come to either one of us and we'll decide if it's worth punishing and what that punishment will be. I'm also going to tell him that if he feels uncomfortable doing something then he needs to tell us and we'll come up with something else. Does that work?" Hermione gave it a few moments thought before agreeing. "I don't want to treat him like a slave 'Mione, I want him to be a member of the family."

Hermione wrestled with her conscience for nearly ten full minutes. On one hand, she couldn't believe she was even considering condoning this course of action, even if they did need help keeping the house cleaned and maintained. On the other hand she couldn't pretend that Harry's words didn't make sense and she knew that he would treat Kreacher like an actual person instead of a piece of property. Finally, she made her decision.

"Alright, call him here. We'll ask him, _ask_ him, to work for us here and at least give him the option. If he's really set against it then we'll let him stay at Hogwarts. Oh fuck, I've got to have a drink. Where's the rest of that Firewhiskey?"

As she walked out of the room to find the alcoholic beverage, Harry gently but firmly called for Kreacher. The house-elf in question appeared for him and immediately began muttering about how Harry was soiling his mistress' house. Despite the aggravation and annoyance Harry felt at Kreacher's behavior, he kept calm and didn't let his temper get the best of him; he was determined to treat the elf with respect.

"Kreacher, please stop saying that I'm turning the house into a disgrace." Kreacher's eyes widened at the kindness in Harry's order and he stopped talking out of shock more than anything else. Hermione walked back in the room before Harry could ask Kreacher if he wanted to come back to the house and work. The sight of her caused Kreacher to begin muttering again, as they both could have easily predicted.

"The Mudblood is in my Mistress' house again. Oh what would Mistress say to poor Kreacher if she saw what's become of her house?"

"Kreacher!" Harry's tone was again gentle and firm, letting Kreacher know that he was being reprimanded but without yelling at him. The house-elf immediately ceased muttering, realizing that he had crossed the line and that Harry wasn't going to stand for it. Nevertheless, he did recognize the warning for what it was and was pleasantly surprise that he wasn't punished. "From now on I forbid you from calling anyone 'Mudblood' and I forbid you from punishing yourself. I have a proposition for you, Kreacher.

"Hermione and I live here now instead of Hogwarts." Kreacher's eyes widened but he didn't say anything, reciprocating some of the kindness and respect Harry had already shown him. "We're both very busy and as a result we don't have as much time to clean the house as we'd like. We don't want the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black to fall into disarray so we wondered if you want to help us take care of things around here. If you prefer to stay at Hogwarts then we understand and we'll let you stay." Kreacher's eyes grew even wider as Harry's words sunk in.

"Master is giving Kreacher a choice?" Harry slowly nodded while Hermione gave him a small smile. He slightly scowled at Hermione's gesture, which wasn't much of a surprise. He was about to give them his answer when he noticed the light gleam across the locket around Hermione's neck as she moved. "What is the Mudblood doing with Master Regulus' locket?" Harry and Hermione went were stunned into silence, both overlooking the insult as the truth was revealed to them. Kreacher, in violation of Harry's orders, grabbed one of the nearby heavy books and almost started pummeling himself before remembering Harry's other order; at the moment though, neither of the other two were paying attention to that.

"R. A. B.: Regulus A. Black," Hermione said. "He must have discovered Voldemort's secret and attempted to destroy the locket, but he wasn't successful. How did he get it in the first place though?" She looked at Kreacher, who was still holding the book in his hands. "Kreacher, could you please tell me how this locket was switched with the real one?" Instead of answering her, Kreacher looked at Harry, hesitation and dislike in his eyes.

"Answer her Kreacher. This is your punishment for disobeying my command." Hermione looked at her boyfriend and he shrugged, doing his best to convey that this allowed them to get the information they needed and punish him at the same time. She gave him a relenting look and nodded, letting him know that she didn't necessarily like it but that she understood.

It took a few minutes for Kreacher to begin his tale and nearly fifteen minutes for him to tell it amid the constant sobbing and attempting to punish himself. Hermione had tears running down her face when Kreacher told them about Regulus' demise. Harry held her as he had a disturbed look on his own face, understanding even better than her what Regulus must have gone through. Both of them reached out and tried to comfort Kreacher, Harry by rubbing his back while Hermione merely placed her hand on his shoulder. At first Kreacher tensed at the contact, likely believing that Harry was going to punish him and hating that Hermione was even touching him, but he relaxed after a few seconds. After calming down, he continued with his story.

"Kreacher tried again and again to destroy the locket as Master Regulus ordered but Kreacher couldn't do it. Kreacher punished himself and tried again but he still couldn't. Then the thief Mundungus Fletcher stole it two years ago and now Kreacher can't carry out Master Regulus' orders." Kreacher fell onto the floor and began beating his hands and feet against it. Hearing their fallen comrade's name caused Harry and Hermione a moment of sadness but they knew that they didn't have time to wallow in grief.

"He doesn't have it anymore Kreacher," Harry informed him. "We know who has it now, a woman by the name of Dolores Umbridge, and we know how to destroy it. We need to be discreet about getting it so don't go after her," he added when he saw the look on Kreacher's face. "We're going to get it back as soon as we can and then we'll help you finally do what Regulus ordered you to." As Kreacher made it back to his feet, Hermione got an idea. She looked at Harry and nodded at Kreacher as she unclasped the locket. Harry nodded at her, knowing what she had in mind and believing that her action would help her earn the respect and loyalty of the little elf.

"Kreacher, I know that Regulus would want you to have this," she told him as she put the locket around his neck. "I think you deserve it." A look of disbelief and happiness appeared on Kreacher's face before he broke down into tears and allowed Hermione to give him a light hug. When he calmed down, Harry added his own good news.

"If you decide to help us around the house Kreacher, we'll let you have anything that belonged to the Blacks as long as we don't actively need it to defeat Voldemort. So will you help us turn this house into one that Regulus would be proud of?" Kreacher was quiet for a long time, evidently still overcome at being offered the Blacks' possessions. He was finally able to find his voice.

"Master will give Kreacher anything he wants from his Mistress' house?" Harry nodded, making sure to remind the elf that he would give him anything within reason. That detail didn't perturb Kreacher though as he proclaimed, "Kreacher would be glad to serve his Mistress' house again!"

"Thank you Kreacher. I don't want you to have to clean this whole place by yourself though. I know that you can," Harry quickly added, seeing the look of sadness that washed over Kreacher's face, "but we don't want to overwork you." Hermione looked at him before he said anything else, evidently following his train of thought, and mouthed "no" at him as she shook her head. Harry held up a finger, letting her know that he had an idea, and called out Dobby's name. Within seconds the house-elf that Harry had freed so many years ago appeared out of nowhere.

"Harry Potter has called for Dobby?" the diminutive elf asked, bouncing on his feet.

"Yes I did Dobby. I was wondering if you'd perhaps like to work for us? We'll pay you the same amount that Hogwarts does and give you a bed if you want." He looked at Hermione for her approval and she seemed satisfied, or at least her nod suggested she was. Dobby's eyes went as round as saucers at the proposal and he became even more energetic.

"Dobby would love to work for Harry Potter, but he won't accept money from his best friend." Harry shook his head, not letting the issue slide.

"Dobby if you want to work for me then I'm going to pay you. You're a free elf and I'm not going to let you work for free as long as you work here. If you won't take the money then I'm afraid you'll have to keep working at Hogwarts." Dobby's ears sagged and he appeared to be waging a war with himself. Finally he raised his head back up and his eyes met Harry's.

"If Harry Potter wants to pay Dobby then Dobby will be happy to work for him."

"Great. You don't have a problem working with Kreacher though do you?"

"As long as Kreacher doesn't insult Harry Potter and his mistress then Dobby has no problem with him." Harry opened his mouth to correct Dobby when Hermione caught his eye and waved him off. She knew that Dobby didn't mean anything by the comment and that he likely thought he was using the correct term.

"Kreacher would never insult Master Harry or Hermione."

"Mistress Hermione," Dobby corrected.

"That's alright Dobby. This is a big change in Kreacher's life and he needs time to get used to it. Alright then, now that that's taken care of I'll let you two get settled in. Tonight you can both sleep in our room until we get one of the other bedrooms clean, then you can move in there. One more thing Dobby, I know you aren't forced to obey me but under no circumstances are you to punish yourself while you work here and that goes for Kreacher too. If either of you feel like you've done something deserving of punishment, come to one of us and we'll decide if you deserve to be punished and what it'll be." Kreacher and Dobby both nodded and Disapparated to collect their belongings, leaving Harry and Hermione to their homework.

Two hours later, nearly ten o'clock, the two teens were just finishing their homework when a piece of parchment flew in through the fireplace. They both ran into the kitchen with their wands up. Despite knowing that Grimmauld Place was very well protected and the Death Eaters wouldn't use something like parchment to send a message, they were both somewhat on edge. As it turned out, the message was from Ginny and was hastily scrawled.

_Luna was caught out after hours and Umbridge is really coming down on her. Ron's trying to help her._

Hermione groaned when she read the short note.

"I really don't want to deal with that fucking bitch today."

"Me neither but we can't exactly leave Luna to fend for herself can we? She'd never do that to us."

"Oh you're right. I guess we should go help. You know, we should really teach them how to send messages using Patronuses. That'd make things a lot better and safer for us."

"Alright, we'll work on it as soon as we can," Harry replied as they stepped into the fireplace and Flooed to the castle.

* * *

><p>Ollivander was laying on the stone floor of the cellar of Malfoy Manor. He knew that he was going to die here. Voldemort wanted information from him that he just didn't have and it was only a matter of time before he realized that. When he did Ollivander had no doubt that the evil man was going to kill him. After all the torture and abuse he had suffered over the past few months, death would have been a welcome reprieve. He only hoped that the Dark Lord made his ending as swift and painless as possible. Suddenly he heard a faint pop in the darkness and the basement was filled with light from a wand.<p>

"Who's-who's there?" the wandmaker shakily asked. His voice was cracked from not being used in so long and his fear was evident.

"I'm here to rescue you Mr. Ollivander," Shadow replied as he stepped forward. "I wish I could've done so earlier but circumstances demanded that you remain here until now." As he spoke, Ollivander took in the man's appearance and came to the same conclusion that Vernon Dursley came to so many months ago.

"Harry Potter?" Shadow silently cursed and wondered why he was given this particular form. Perhaps it was meant to bring even more hope to people. He shook the thought from his mind for now. This wasn't the time to think about it.

"I can assure you that I'm not Harry Potter, Mr. Ollivander. I can't reveal who I really am yet and risk changing the course of fate. If you want proof that I'm not Mr. Potter though, take a look at my wand." Ollivander heeded Shadow's advice and did indeed look at the man's wand.

"Hmm, you're definitely not Mr. Potter, that's not his wand." Despite everything, Ollivander was still a wandmaker and he instantly became fascinated with Shadow's wand. "What's this made out of? It looks almost as if it's otherworldly." Shadow didn't show it but he was taken by surprise. He didn't think that anyone would realize what his wand was really made of but Ollivander was coming too close for comfort.

"I think you're imaging things Mr. Ollivander. You've been in here so long that it's probably started to eat away at your sanity. I'm taking you out of here." That last statement caused Ollivander to perk up and forget about the wand.

"Really? But how can you get through the anti-Apparation wards?"

"They only apply to humans. C'mon, grab my arm and we'll be on our way." Shadow tightened his own grip on Ollivander and Disapparated them both out of the cellar. They landed outside the Burrow, where Shadow walked forward into the wards before releasing Ollivander and quickly Disapparated. He had just disappeared when Mr and Mrs. Weasley came rushing outside with their wands drawn.

"Arthur who-it's Ollivander!"

"The wandmaker Ollivander? Where did he come from?"

"I don't know but it doesn't matter right now. Quick, help me get him inside." The two adults quickly brought Ollivander into the house and laid him on one of the beds on the second story. "Should we inform Harry?"

"Not tonight Molly. Ollivander needs to rest and Harry can't do anything tonight anyway. We'll tell him first thing tomorrow morning."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I didn't put Kreacher's tale of what happened before he got the locket because it's the exact same thing as the book. I didn't feel like regurgitating something that most people probably already know.<strong>


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Rebel Yell<strong>

_"If Umbridge wants to claim that we're rebelling against her, then we'll give her a rebellion."_

The next day found Hermione and Ron walking into their Defense Against the Dark Arts class without Harry. It was the first time that Hermione had gone to a class without him and it bothered her. The conversation between her and Ron just didn't seem the same without her boyfriend there to participate. She knew that he had important business to attend to and that this would sometimes happen, but she still didn't like it. The worst part was that she had to somehow let Snape know without actually telling him.

Since school had started two and a half months ago, Snape had been more cordial to the three of them, and the Gryffindors in general, but he still wasn't what she would call friendly. She knew that part of it was because he didn't want it to seem like things had suddenly changed between them, but part of it was because he still didn't really like the three of them. They all respected each other now and the animosity between them was slowly dissolving, but there was a long way to go. While Snape's comment to them had turned into simple teasing instead actual jibes, there was no denying the teasing was mean-spirited. He especially found it amusing to tease Harry and Hermione about their relationship, for whatever reason. Today was no exception.

"Ms. Granger, I see that Mr. Granger isn't with you today." The Slytherins began to chortle but Snape silenced them with a look. "Perhaps you'd like to tell us where he is." Hermione gave a half smile at Snape's words, thinking about how Harry would respond had he been there, and chose her answer very carefully.

"His wand finally showed up last night and he said something about getting answers from it." Snape's eyebrow very slightly rose at her comment. He wasn't stupid; he knew that Ollivander had been taken by Voldemort and he quickly made the connection. He wanted to know more about the situation but knew that Hermione likely didn't know anything yet and, more importantly, to continue the discussion would be very suspicious.

"In that case, five points from Gryffindor for his absence and ten points to Gryffindor because you made it here without him." The announcement stunned everyone in the room aside from Hermione and Ron. Snape had given points to Gryffindor before, but it was for a legitimate reason. This was the first time he had given the House points just because he felt like it, at least that's what the other students thought. Hermione and Ron and been around a few times though when he had given Harry points for no real reason.

Hermione gave him a ghost of a smile in thanks. She knew what he was trying to do and she appreciated it. Despite his outward appearance, Snape had proven over the years that he wasn't exactly heartless and the respect that they now had for each other made him want to attempt to help the young woman feel better. He gave her a fraction of a nod and turned around to start class.

At the same time, Harry was sitting at the Burrow listening to Mrs. Weasley tell him about the events from the previous night while he nursed a cup of pumpkin juice. He hadn't been informed of Ollivander's appearance until literally just a few minutes before he was about to leave for Hogwarts and he was thoroughly confused. Mrs. Weasley was doing her best to bring him up to speed but admittedly there wasn't much she could tell the young man either. Ollivander had been asleep for the vast majority of the night and the Weasleys thought it would be unwise to wake him.

"Before he went to sleep though he kept saying that you rescued him. The poor man was obviously delirious. We're sure he was starting to lose his mind but we think You-Know-Who might have been drugging him too."

"I see. Well unfortunately I'm going to have to wake him now," Harry said, drinking the rest of his drink as Mrs. Weasley finished. "Voldemort kept him alive for a reason and I need to know what it is. It may not help us win this war, but it'll help us be a little better prepared." Mrs. Weasley nodded and showed him to the room Ollivander was still sleeping in.

The sight of the older man made Harry's breath hitch. He had sores, cuts, and bruises all over his face and arms. His clothes were hanging off him; he was clearly malnourished and was nearly starved to death. Several abrasions in his skin indicated that his bones had been broken on more than one occasion and not set properly. His hair was matted, filthy, and complimented the odor coming off of him. It was clear that he had been thoroughly abused by Voldemort and that he wouldn't have lived much longer if he hadn't been rescued. As gently as he could, Harry prodded the sleeping man awake. Eventually, Ollivander's eyes opened and he seemed both pleased and surprised to see Harry.

"Oh, you're back Mr. Potter. I have to thank you for rescuing me. I don't think I got the chance to last night." Harry was uncomfortable in taking credit for something he didn't do but he knew that right now wasn't the time to correct the wandmaker.

"Er, you're welcome Mr. Ollivander. It was really nothing. I know it may be painful to think about but I need to know what Voldemort wanted with you. It could be important to us." Ollivander's face predictably fell and a frightened look crept into his eyes. It was clear that he didn't want to relive the past few months, and Harry hated having to ask him, but the information could be vital.

"He-at first he wanted to know why his wand wouldn't duel yours. He told me about what happened in the graveyard the night he returned and wanted me to solve his problem."

"I remember that night very well. _Priori Incantatem_, if I remember correctly. What did you tell him?" Ollivander's face drained of the last bit of color it had and he suddenly seemed panicked.

"You have to understand! He was using the _Cruciatus Curse_ on me! I didn't have a choice!"

"I understand Mr. Ollivander, I really do. I've had him put the _Cruciatus Curse_ on me as, so I know what it's like. I don't blame you for it, I just want to know what you told him so I can be ready." Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Ollivander calmed down and returned to his story.

"I told him that his wand and your wand share the same cores, the phoenix feather from the same bird. Your wands are essentially brothers and don't want to fight each other. I told him that using another wand should solve the problem, but unless he's won its allegiance any magic he does wouldn't be as powerful. He seemed to brush that part off though."

"Of course he did," Harry scoffed. "Voldemort thinks the rules of magic don't apply to him as they do to everyone else. I think he's already tried that though and it didn't work. Was there anything else he wanted from you?"'

"I...there is something else but I don't remember what it is." For several long minutes, Ollivander strained to remember what else Voldemort wanted from him but he couldn't. He knew that Voldemort hadn't Obliviated him, but it was as though his mind had created a mental block on the memory. "I'm sorry, I just can't seem to remember." Harry sighed, knowing immediately what he had to do but loathing to do so.

"Mr. Ollivander, I don't want to put you through those thoughts again but I'm going to have to use Legilimency to examine your mind. I promise I'll be gentle and I won't linger any longer than I have to, but I need to know what else he wanted and what you told him. I'm sorry." Before Ollivander could reject or react, Harry had pointed his wand at the older man and called out "_Legilimens_." He quickly shifted through the wandmaker's memories until he came to the one he was sure he was looking for.

_Voldemort walked into the cellar and pointed his wand at Ollivander without warning. The wandmaker suddenly flew across the room and slammed into the wall. He was held there for a few seconds before Voldemort twitched his wand and Ollivander was rammed into the wall on the opposite side. There was no emotion on the Dark Lord's face and it was almost impossible to tell whether he was actually angry or simply enjoyed hurting the other man. It became apparent when he finally decided to speak._

_"You lied to Lord Voldemort Ollivander. Using Lucius' wand didn't change anything. You were trying to help Potter weren't you?"_

_"No! No I swear I wasn't! I honestly thought a different wand would solve the problem. I don't know what happened!"_

_"LIES! Do not lie to Lord Voldemort Ollivander, he always know." For several minutes, Voldemort held Ollivander upside down in midair while he used Legilimency. "Fine then, it seems you were telling me the truth. Then you're going to tell me everything you know about this Elder Wand." Ollivander's face paled and he became visibly nervous. He knew that Voldemort was deriving pleasure from forcing him to explain this instead of sifting through his memories._

_"All I know is what I've heard from legends. The Elder Wand is supposed to be the most powerful wand in existence, performing great acts of magic for the Witch or Wizard who claims ownership over it. No one knows where it is though. The last person known to have it was the wandmaker Gregorovitch, who was attempting to replicate its powers and properties, then it vanished. No one knows where it is now or who has it." Deciding that Ollivander was telling the truth again, Voldemort released him and walked out of the cellar._

Harry shook his head as he withdrew from Ollivander's mind. Even though he had performed Legilimency multiple times before, he still wasn't used to the feeling of being in someone else's mind. At the moment however, that wasn't his concern. He knew what Voldemort wanted and what Ollivander had discussed with him. Something told the young Wizard that there was more to the story though, something that Ollivander hadn't revealed.

"There's more to that than what you told him, isn't there Mr. Ollivander?" The wandmaker looked at him but didn't say anything. "It's alright, you can tell me. I'm not going to judge you and nothing said will leave this room."

"There were rumors that the wand was stolen from Gregorovitch by a young man. No one knows who it was though. The Elder Wand is loyal only to power Mr. Potter, but its allegiance has to be won like any other wand. You-Know-Who doesn't care about that though. He believes that simply having the wand is his possession will be enough. I didn't see the point in reminding him that the wand chooses the wizard."

Harry nodded, immediately understanding what Ollivander was telling him. Not only did he defy Voldemort by deliberately withholding information from him, he gave Harry hope that Voldemort wouldn't be the true master of the Elder Wand even if he found it. It was a small thing, but it was helpful nonetheless. Armed with this new knowledge, Harry bid the wandmaker farewell, telling him to rest as much as he desired and returned downstairs to where Mrs. Weasley waited. She offered to take care of the wounded man as long as he needed without being asked; Harry thanked her and used the fireplace to Floo to Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>Harry rushed into Defense Against the Dark Arts class in the middle of their practice and narrowly avoided a stray spell from Seamus. He didn't even think about performing the Shield Charm without his wand or the fact that almost everyone was staring at him in awe. At the moment, his sole concern was talking to Snape about what he had just learned. He wasn't going to tell him anything during class of course, they still needed to maintain their facade, but he needed the older man's help. As it was, he had to tell Hermione and Ron about it now though. He looked at Snape, gave a pointed look to his girlfriend and best friend, and received a sharp nod in return.<p>

"With me, now," he quietly told them as he walked by. They both looked at each other questioningly before following him to an empty classroom. Hermione cast the _Muffliato_ spell at the door and magically locked it before turning to face the other two. "According to Ollivander, Voldemort is looking for the Elder Wand now. Apparently he's become obsessed with defeating me and believes that the Elder Wand is the only thing that will allow him to do so."

"So what does this mean?" Hermione asked, a troubled look on her face. "What can we do about it?"

"Well for starters, we're going to see if we can somehow discover where it's at first. We know that Grindelwald and Dumbledore most likely believed the Hallows exist, so it's possible they looked for or even found at least one of them. I want to see if we can find out anything else from or about them. Maybe it'll give us some kind of clue. I'm also going to get Snape to try to keep an eye on things for us, but there's not much else we can do right now." Ron and Hermione nodded, neither wanting to voice what was on their minds.

Hermione was understandably afraid for the man she loved. Though Harry was quite powerful and could hold his own against Voldemort, the Dark Lord possessed terrible power. She knew that if he had the Elder Wand in his control that he could, and most likely would, be nearly unstoppable. If he was that determined to defeat Harry then she knew that he would stop at nothing to achieve it. As much as she wanted to discuss this with Harry, she was very aware that now wasn't the time. She had every intention of saying something later that night though.

Ron, on the other hand, wanted to actively search for the Elder Wand himself. He understood the power of this wand and he knew that it could completely turn the war in their favor. It didn't matter to him that they had absolutely no idea where to begin their search, he would have been happy to randomly roam around looking for it, he just wanted the wand. It wasn't lost on him that Harry was in danger, but he believed that his best friend was more than capable of defending himself. Besides, he was sure that he could convince Harry to find the Deathstick before Voldemort.

With all three lost in thought, they slowly made their way back to class. For the next hour, the three of them merely went through the motions as they did their best to participate in the class. The sudden change wasn't lost on Snape, though he pretended not to notice and only called them out if he had no alternative. When he dismissed the class for lunch, he wasn't at all surprise when they stayed behind.

"So I understand that Ollivander has been rescued." Harry nodded at the statement. "What did you find out? Did he tell the Dark Lord anything of great importance?"

"Yes and no Professor. He told him a few months ago that he would most likely have to use someone else's wand to effectively combat me, but as we've seen that hasn't worked. After that, Voldemort told him that he was searching for the Elder Wand and demanded to know anything Ollivander knew about it. It seemed to me that what he told him wasn't exactly a secret, so I don't think it was incredibly helpful. He informed the Dark Lord that Gregorovitch used to have the wand but that it vanished from history after that.

"I don't know how much help he was to Voldemort, but Ollivander greatly helped us. Now we know what Voldemort's looking for and we can hopefully do something about it. I'd like you to keep an eye on his progress. Don't let him know that you know what he's up to, as I know you won't, but see what you can find out." Snape put his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers as he processed what Harry told him.

"I see. I'll make sure to find out all that I can about this. It would be...problematic if the Dark Lord found the Deathstick."

"I think 'problematic' is an understatement actually. But Ollivander did say that Voldemort believes that the laws of magic don't apply to him, so he doesn't care how he gets the wand as long as he gets it. That could be in our benefit if he doesn't actually defeat the current owner." Snape absentmindedly nodded for a minute before speaking again.

"Did Ollivander say who rescued him?"

"Yeah, me." Snape's eyes widened and his nostrils flared but the other three didn't seem to notice. "He was malnourished, sleep deprived, and almost delirious when I saw him so I doubt he actually knows who it was. I imagine his mind believed it to be me so that it would make him feel more at ease. We should probably get to lunch though before people start questioning why we're in here so long." Snape nodded and the teens bid him farewell as they walked out of the classroom.

"You're lucky that Ollivander was starting to go insane," the professor said to the empty classroom. "Then again, I'm sure you knew that when you rescued him. I really hope you have a plan and a reason for staying in the shadows for so long. We could really use your help here."

Lunch was an unusual experience for the three of them that day. Hermione was forcing herself to act as though everything was normal, though Harry could sense her worry. Harry himself seemed to be lost in thought and didn't eat much. Ron was the only one who acted like his usual self: he divided his time between eating more than most people would and talking to Luna. When Hermione noticed Daphne Greengrass leaving, she tapped Harry on the shoulder and looked significantly in her direction. With a nod, the two of them simultaneously rose and followed the Slytherin girl outside.

"Greengrass, we need to talk to you," Harry called. The blonde girl stopped and turned around, not giving Harry a glare but not looking happy to see him either. It was clear that she was confused as to why he was talking to her.

"What is it Potter? I didn't do anything and I don't want to be late for my class so I'd appreciate it if we went through this quickly." The two of them had already decided that since Hermione knew Daphne better it would better for her to do the talking.

"Daphne we've got something we need from Umbridge and we don't expect her to just give it to us. We have a way to get it but we can't actually get it ourselves, not without raising her suspicions. We were hoping you'd be willing to help us."

"Why would you need my help? There's more than two hundred other students here so what makes me so special?"

"Because you're in Slytherin and Umbridge thinks that the Slytherins can do no wrong. You seem to not actually care about her too much though. In fact, you're one of the most vocal in your House against her." Daphne looked between the two of them. It was clear that she was considering the proposal but she knew that something was off.

"What aren't you two telling me? I wouldn't mind helping you but I want to know what else is going on." Harry looked at Hermione and took a deep breath before answering the Slytherin girl.

"Daphne, is it alright if I call you that?" Daphne nodded, slightly taken aback at Harry's show of respect. "Look, we know that most Slytherins don't like Umbridge here this time but that you both have somewhat of a truce with each other. Umbridge doesn't want to risk antagonizing the children of some of Voldemort's Death Eaters and you Slytherins are more than happy to just stay out of her way. We need to all be united against her but we need something to push her into treating Slytherin House the same as the other Houses. If a Slytherin takes the fall for what we're going to do then it should be that push we need to all be on the same page."

"Alright, what the hell are you going to do and why is it so damned important?! If you don't tell me that Pot-Harry, there's no way in hell I'm going to help." Hermione sighed and looked back at Harry.

"She's right you know sweetheart. It's not fair to not tell her why we want the locket so much and expect her to help. If it was the other way around, we wouldn't help her if we didn't have all the facts."

"If you tell anyone about this we'll deny everything and you'll be the one to suffer for it." Daphne nodded, the steely look in her eyes telling Harry that what he was about to tell her wouldn't be revealed to anyone else. "Umbridge wears a locket that will help us defeat Voldemort and we're going to give her a mild sleeping potion to get it. We're going to lace some food with the potion and have you, if you decide to help us of course, make sure she gets it."

"What does a locket have to do with defeating You-Know-Who?" Daphne knew that Harry most likely wouldn't tell her that, he'd be a fool if he did, but she wanted to know how he would react to a question like that before she made her decision.

"We can't tell you. We can't risk Voldemort somehow finding out that we know about this, so the fewer people who know the better. It also makes you safer from certain people here in the castle." Daphne took her time to make her decision, or she pretended to rather; truthfully, she had already made up her mind when Harry told her that this would help defeat Voldemort.

"Alright, I'll do it, as long as you promise that whatever punishment I may get isn't too severe." Hermione smiled at her.

"We guarantee that you won't be punished at all Daphne. We've already talked about that and we agreed that we won't let you be punished for something that we came up with."

"Thanks Hermione. I should be going on to my class now. Let me know when you're ready and I'll do whatever you need me to." She bid the couple goodbye and sped off to her class, not wanting to have to come up with an excuse as to why she was late.

"Well that went better than I expected," Harry remarked as they headed in the direction of Hermione's Arithmancy class. "Do you really think we can trust her?"

"Yes, I don't think she'll say anything. Daphne's not like Malfoy and his gang, she wants Voldemort defeated just like we do. That alone will give her incentive to go along with us. I've also heard her complain about Umbridge but she's admitted that she can live with her as long as she leaves her alone."

"Typical mass mentally: leave your head buried in the sand until something actually happens to you. Still, at least she's attempting to help us, which is more than most people seem willing to do. I don't exactly blame her for not actively defying Umbridge, hell everyone knows what she acts towards any student she doesn't like, but it would be nice if we could have a united front against her."

"Give it time honey. Hopefully everything will change after we get the locket." They were standing outside Hermione's class now. "I guess I'll see you when class is over. Are you going to the library?"

"I guess so. Ron and Luna both have a free period now and they like to spend as much time as they can with each other. It is different though, not having Ron to hang out with as much now. But I'm happy for him and Luna both. They're much better together than he and Lavender were."

"Please don't remind me about last year. Don't get me wrong, I love you very much and I'm glad we're together, but memories of what happened and how he treated me still sting." Harry nodded, feeling bad that he caused her to remember that. "It's alright Harry. I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Like I say, I'm glad things worked out like they have. I love you."

"I love you too Hermione," Harry replied before giving her a soft kiss. "I'll be here after you get out of class." Hermione nodded and went into the classroom as Harry started making his way to the library.

* * *

><p>Harry was walking down a dirt road in the countryside towards a small house. He could feel excitement run through him at the thought of getting his hands on something, though he wasn't sure what it was he wanted. He strolled into the house without knocking and came face-to-face with a man with long white hair and a big, bushy beard. Before the man could even raise his wand, Harry had him in a Full-Body Bind and lifted him upside down.<p>

"You have something Lord Voldemort wants Gregorovich. Give me the Elder Wand."

"I don't have it anymore!" the older man responded in a thick German accent. It was clear he was panicked and terrified. "It was stolen from me years ago."

"I think you are lying to me Gregorovich. No one lies to Lord Voldemort." Without a word, Harry brought his wand up again and pointed it at Gregorovich. In his mind's eye he saw a young man with dirty blond hair taking the wand in question before hitting Gregorovich with a Stunning Spell. "Who is he?" Harry's voice was low and full of malice.

"I don't know, I swear! I never found out! I spent years trying but I never found out who he was." Harry stared at Gregorovich as the blood rushing to his head started giving his face a ruddy hue. Eventually he decided that the old wandmaker was telling the truth and he allowed him to fall to the ground. "Please, have mercy, I beg you!" Harry looked at Gregorovich and felt repulsed at his pleading. He pointed his wand at the man again and sent a green light from his wand that hit Gregorovich in his chest.

Suddenly, Harry's eyes snapped open as he woke up, shades of green still dancing in his eyes. He knew immediately that this "dream" wasn't a dream and that he was seeing things from inside Voldemort's mind again. It had never been this clear before though. While Harry did feel bad for Gregorovich, he couldn't bring the man back to life and at his least his death wasn't entirely in vain. He had seen the face of the person who stole the Elder Wand and it was possible that now he could find out who the young man was.

"Maybe things are looking up now," he said aloud, more excited than he meant to. His enthusiasm caused Hermione to begin to stir beside him, though she had been awake for a few minutes.

"What do you mean Harry?" she asked groggily. "What the fuck is going on?"

"I saw into Voldemort's mind again." This got Hermione's attention and she immediately shot up beside him, all traces of sleep seeming to instantly vanish from her body. "He found Gregorovich and used Legilimency to find out who stole the Elder Wand from him. Neither of them knew who the boy was but I saw him just as Voldemort saw him. 'Mione, I have a face now, we could show my memory to some of the Order members and see if they might recognize him!" Hermione didn't exactly share in Harry's enthusiasm.

"Why did you see into Voldemort's mind? I thought I helped you learn Occlumency enough that you could keep him out. Damn it Harry, you can't let him into your mind again!"

"'Mione, I can't actively block him out while I'm asleep. Do you want me to just stay awake from now on until we defeat him?" His small attempt at humor did nothing to placate her, not that he really expected it to.

"You know I don't want you to stay awake but you've got to do something. What if he discovers the link is still open and uses it to influence you again like he did two years ago? He doesn't want a prophecy this time, he wants your life, and there's nothing holding him back from taking it."

"You're right, but what if he doesn't discover the link? We can use it to our advantage. Besides, I'm not the same person I was two years ago. Now I realize that I share a link with him and I know that he can and will make me see things that aren't real to try to manipulate me. This time though I actually have a way to find out if what I'm seeing is real or not. More importantly, I know better than to just rush off like that. I'm not going to just let him walk in whenever he wants babe, but I'm not going to ignore something I see from him either. Yes, it may be a lie meant to manipulate me but it could also be the truth and a valuable piece of information."

"Alright," Hermione hesitantly said after a lengthy pause. "Alright, I won't fight you on this anymore, as long as you're careful. I still don't like it, but I won't say anything else about it. I just don't want anything to happen to you Harry, especially because of something like this. We do have other ways of finding out information about Voldemort."

"Yeah, but this is practically the only way to find out things like this. You know as well as I do that he would never willingly share this information with anyone else. He fears one of his followers will find the Elder Wand and decide that they don't need him anymore. He'd be fighting a war on two fronts then." Hermione tried to find an argument but realized that Harry was right; no one else had this much access to Voldemort's thoughts and as much as she hated to admit it, they needed to take advantage of this. She scoffed and pulled her naked body out of the bed.

Harry watched her while his mind drifted back over the past few days. It had been three days since they spoke to Daphne about her involvement against Umbridge. That same day, Harry had spoken to both Remus and Sophia Arnell about the mission they had been on with Hermione. It turned out that the information Remus had was trivial, barely worth mentioning. His conversation with Ms. Arnell was much more animated however.

When he first confronted the older woman she denied it until he revealed that both Remus and Tonks said the same thing as Hermione had. Immediately her attitude changed. She started lashing out at Harry, saying that he was risking everyone's safety while at the same time claiming that he wasn't doing enough against Voldemort. She claimed that he had absolutely no idea how to lead and that he wasn't doing anything right. She also didn't try to hide the fact that she thought she'd be better in his position.

To his credit, Harry listened and let her speak her piece before saying anything himself. He reassured her that, no matter what she may think or how it may seem, he was actually taking a rather aggressive stance against Voldemort; he did his best to convince her that he was doing things that he wasn't telling everyone about. He revealed to her that he led Dumbledore's Army and he pointed out that he wouldn't have been made Head Boy if he wasn't a leader. He made sure to tell her that Dumbledore himself wanted Harry to lead the Order and he wouldn't have done so lightly.

Even if she didn't believe everything he told her, Ms. Arnell's opinion of him changed, though it wasn't so much what he told her as it was everything else. While he spoke, she noticed the teen seemed worn and haggard, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. She heard the passion he spoke with and saw the fire that burned in his eyes. Most importantly, she realized that he didn't berate her or put her down for her opinion, he merely defended himself.

With her mind made up to continue to trust Harry and follow his lead, Sophia Arnell apologized to the young man. When he simply waved off her apology, telling her that it wasn't needed, her respect for him grew and she left Grimmauld Place in high spirits. Harry felt an enormous sense of accomplishment when she walked out the door. He knew that people would eventually start questioning his right to be leader, he was actually surprised it hadn't already happened, and he only hoped that he would prove that he was worthy of his place. Ms. Arnell's support of him made him feel like he could convince anyone else, though only time would tell of course.

"Are you ready for the match?" Hermione asked from the bathroom, bringing him back to the present. It took him a minute to realize what she was talking about. It suddenly dawned on him that the Gryffindor team had their first Quidditch match of the year that day.

"I think so. We're not as good as I'd like yet honestly, but I think we'll be able to beat Ravenclaw. As long as Ron can keep his nerves under control, we shouldn't have any problem. Ginny, Demelza, and Turner are already working really well together and Coote and Peakes are picking up right where they left off last year. As long as I can find the Snitch first then we'll get the win."

"You know the team who catches the Snitch doesn't always win. Look at what happened at the World Cup three years ago. Krum got the Snitch but Ireland still won."

"Ireland is a professional team though, and they were really good that year. Besides, something like that happening is extremely rare, in professional or amateur Quidditch."

"I guess. Sweetheart, would you ever want to play Quidditch professionally?" The question caught Harry completely off guard. He had never once mentioned it. While he did enjoy Quidditch, he had no desire to play professionally. He wanted to be an Auror and help make sure that no other child ended up in a situation like he had. He suddenly realized that he had been silent too long when he saw Hermione give him a nervous look in the mirror.

"Of course not 'Mione. I'll admit that I love Quidditch, and I wouldn't mind still playing after Hogwarts, but I don't want to play professionally. I want to be an Auror. I want to help protect people and keep people like Voldemort from doing this again." He was going to say more but Hermione chose that moment to launch herself onto him and press her lips to his. "What's this for?" he managed to ask.

"For wanting to be an Auror and stay in one place. I know that Quidditch can be demanding and we'd be apart more than I'd like if you played professionally. I'm happy I won't have to worry about things like when you're leaving again and how long you'll be gone." She rose from her position on top of him and started making her way back to the bathroom. Harry followed her, beginning to feel the excitement he could only associate with a Quidditch match.

* * *

><p>"GRYFFINDOR WINS! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Colin Creevey's voice was heard over the loudspeaker. "GRYFFINDOR WINS, 200 TO 60!" Harry was flying through the air with the Snitch in his hand when he was engulfed in a massive mid-air hug. The smile he now wore almost threatened to split his face apart but he was admittedly worried for a while.<p>

The match had been longer than anyone expected it to be, almost three hours to be exact. For the first hour, neither team scored a goal. Harry had been exceptionally proud of Ron during that time: he made some truly spectacular saves and was able to keep his nerves under control. When Ravenclaw finally scored the first goal of the game, Ron's resolve faltered somewhat but he still managed to hold it together. After that, the two teams ended up trading goals back and forth, neither scoring more than ten points at a time.

The match would have ended much sooner if it wasn't for the Ravenclaw Chaser's strategy. The girl was a fourth year that Harry didn't know, but she knew him; or rather, she knew how good of a player he was. Her broom was a Nimbus Two Thousand, not quite as fast as Harry's Firebolt, but she relied less on speed and more on disrupting Harry. Whenever Harry went after the Snitch, she was there to make sure he didn't get it. She knew that she couldn't outrun him, so instead her goal was to get him agitated to the point that he made a mistake she could capitalize on. Unfortunately for the young girl, this wasn't unusual to Harry and he had learned to keep calm, especially during a Quidditch match. The young Ravenclaw was disappointed but not surprised that her first match had ended in defeat.

It didn't surprise Harry when she congratulated him on his victory, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were usually gracious in defeat, but what did surprise him was the look she gave him. Though he knew she was disappointed, a look of determination showed on her face. It was a look that told him she was going to get better and that she was determined to defeat him just once. If it wasn't Harry's last year at Hogwarts, he would have appreciated the friendly rivalry. As it was, he smiled and nodded at the girl just before Ginny hugged him, quickly followed by Ron and the rest of the team.

The seven of them somehow managed to make their way back to the ground and as soon as their group hug was over, Harry almost immediately found Hermione in his arms. He wasn't sure whether she was genuinely happy that they won or if she was just happy that he was happy but he quickly decided that he didn't really care. Neville came up behind and clapped both Harry and Ron on the back before hugging Ginny. Ron had a slightly defensive look on his face before Luna seemingly appeared out of nowhere and planted a kiss on his lips before hugging him as well.

"There's going to be a party in the common room," Neville announced as he pulled away from Ginny. "Will you two be there?" He turned to Harry and Hermione, giving them an almost pleading look. Harry knew that he was going, as Captain he was expected to come to these kind of things after all, but he wasn't sure about Hermione. She hesitated slightly but nodded nonetheless, deciding that she could take one afternoon off. Everyone moved en masse to Gryffindor Tower.

The party lasted most of the rest of the day. None of the older students had gotten used to the absence of the Weasley twins yet, but Harry and Ron unintentionally stepped up to fill their place. The two were the life of the party at first, much to the amusement and annoyance of both Hermione and Luna. In the end though, Ginny and Neville were the ones who stole everyone's attention.

It was common knowledge that the two were becoming closer, and everyone could see the spark between them. Harry and Hermione had actually given both of them advice on how to approach the situation. Despite this, it still came as a shock to most everyone when Neville suddenly grabbed Ginny and kissed her. The effect wasn't quite the same as when Harry did something similar six months prior, no one looked like they wanted to throw anything this time, but it was still powerful. For an instant, the party seemed to stop as everyone witnessed the birth of the new couple. Hermione was beaming until she realized that Harry wasn't beside her anymore. She looked around for him while the place was quiet but didn't see any sign of him.

"Where's Harry?" she asked Ron over the noise that had started back up. She knew that she shouldn't have been panicked, Harry could take care of himself after all, but he never left without saying something to her first. It made her uneasy.

"I don't know. Romilda Vane asked about him too." Ron's response did nothing to alleviate her stress, especially after he mentioned Romilda Vane. Hermione had nothing against the girl, but she didn't like that the younger girl seemed to ignore the fact that she and Harry were together.

"Are you talking about Harry?" Luna asked as she appeared at Ron's side. Hermione nodded, almost begging the blonde to tell her something. "I saw right before he left through the portrait. He said that he had something to do but he'd be back soon. He told me to tell you not to worry. I think he might have had Wrackspurts." Luna's message placated Hermione, if only a little, and she tried not to worry about her boyfriend and return to the party.

Almost thirty minutes after she noticed Harry's disappearance, Hermione was talking with Neville and Ginny when she felt the crowd shift behind her. She didn't think much about it until she noticed Ginny's eyes look over her shoulder and then quickly back at her. The Head Girl suddenly felt uneasy but before she could turn around, she felt a slightly cold weight against her chest. She looked down to see a pendant with a sapphire set in it as she felt the chain drop around the back of her neck. Spinning around, she saw Harry behind her.

"I told you I'd replace the locket you gave Kreacher," he responded to her unasked question. "It's not quite the same but I think it looks even better on you." Momentarily forgetting where they were, Hermione pulled him in for a deep kiss that was interrupted by a purposeful cough from Ginny. The older Witch looked at her in surprise before slightly pulling back from Harry, her face red at the thoughts running through her mind.

"When we get home, you're getting shagged like you never have before." After that it didn't take long for Harry to decide that he was tired of the party and the two returned to Grimmauld Place. Three hours and multiple orgasms later, they both lay in bed exhausted, sweaty, and exhilarated. The remainder of their night was spent relaxing in front of the television or in each other's embrace as they wound down from the excitement of the day.

* * *

><p>Late the next evening, Harry and Hermione received a Patronus from Snape telling them that the potion for Umbridge was ready. They instantly abandoned their half-eaten dinner and Flooed to the castle, not willing to wait any longer. After a brief stop to the Gryffindor common room to grab Ron, Harry and Ron went to Snape's office while Hermione went to the kitchen to procure the food. It was incredibly simple to lace the food with the exact amount of potion they would need and in mere moments they were ready. Harry went to the library to subtly deliver the treacle tart to Daphne while Hermione and Ron positioned Umbridge on Daphne's route back to her House and kept the Headmistress' attention.<p>

"What seems to be the problem here Professor?" Harry asked as he walked up to where Umbridge was arguing with Hermione and Ron. The four of them were standing in front of the Great Hall, where a number of students were still in there for dinner. It was necessary for them to have an audience and this was the best place for that.

"Mr. Weasley here claims that he had a problem with one of the students and Ms. Granger helped him but I haven't seen either of you here all day." Despite the hostility she felt towards them, she still managed to use her sickly sweet, girlish voice when they were in public. "I know he's lying."

"Perhaps you haven't been looking hard enough," the Head Boy suggested. "Hermione and I decided to stay here last night after the celebration for our victory wound down. We didn't get up until late today and until a couple of hours ago we were still in Gryffindor Tower. We've been in the library ever since." It was a well conceived and thought out lie and Harry was very convincing with his delivery. Umbridge blinked several times as she grudgingly decided she believed him.

"Fine then, off with you. Go on, all of you!" Harry nodded once and they left. They had barely turned the corner when Daphne came into the view of the unhappy Headmistress. "Ms. Greengrass dear, you know you're not supposed to have food outside of the Great Hall. I'm going to have to ask you to dispose of it." Her tone was filled with agitation and would have shocked Daphne had she not already known the reason.

"Actually I wanted to give this to you Professor." The blonde Slytherin put on a fake, warm smile in an attempt to show her fondness of Umbridge. "I know that you've had a hard time this weekend and I thought this might cheer you up." Umbridge clearly hadn't expected this and the shock was evident on her face. In all honesty, she didn't want the dessert but she liked Daphne and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Well thank you Ms. Greengrass." The Headmistress took the tart from the young girl and added, "you'd best go on back to your common room now." Daphne nodded and walked off just as Umbridge bit into the dessert. Nothing happened at first but after a few bites her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell down, asleep before she hit the floor. Hermione had been standing to the side of Umbridge under the Disillusionment Charm since Daphne had appeared and immediately went to work. She worked as quickly as she could to get the locket off and duplicate it before anyone in the Great Hall could notice. Fortunately, given Umbridge's popularity, no one was paying much attention to her.

When Umbridge woke twenty minutes later, no one had still noticed her. At first she was disoriented and didn't know what happened. It wasn't until she saw the treacle tart on the floor and felt the pain in her side where she fell that she realized that something in the dessert knocked her out. She instantly became furious with Daphne and rushed off to the Slytherin common room.

"GREENGRASS!" the Headmistress bellowed when the wall slid back to reveal the Slytherins' dorm. Daphne, who was sitting by the fire with her younger sister Astoria and her best friend Tracey Davis, looked up at the professor. She did her best to feign shock, though she was slightly shaking with laughter. Tracey and Astoria both assumed she was trembling with fear and tried to comfort her.

"Yes, Headmistress?" Daphne meekly asked. The blonde knew that in order to sell this she needed to appear genuinely frightened and shocked and she had practiced since Harry and Hermione had approached her. "What's wrong?"

"You know perfectly well what's wrong! I don't know what was in that tart but I will not let it slide by, I don't care if it was meant to be a joke! Two hundred points from Slytherin and you have two weeks of detention! I don't look kindly on someone trying to poison me, even if it is a simple sleeping potion." Daphne wasn't concerned with the point deduction or the detentions. She knew that Harry and Hermione would nullify them both and continued with her facade.

"Poison? Sleeping potion? I don't understand professor. I only gave you a treacle tart, there wasn't any kind of potion in it."

"I don't believe that for one second! I know that all of you are plotting against me and I will not have it! This is **my** school and it will be run how I see fit! Another hundred points from Slytherin for lying to me!" With that, and with her temper threatening to cause her to do something more drastic, Umbridge left the common room, believing that her actions would quell further acts of rebellion from the Slytherins.

"Are you alright?" Tracey asked. Daphne shook her head as she pretended to cry. In that moment, Tracey made up her mind that the Slytherin House was done with Umbridge. "Stay with her Astoria. I'm going to find Potter and Granger." The younger Greengrass looked at her, confusion written on her face. "If Umbridge wants to claim that we're rebelling against her, then we'll give her a rebellion."

Tracey left the common room and immediately headed towards the library, reasoning that she could at least find a Gryffindor there who might know where the Head Boy and Girl were. It didn't take her long to find them and Ron sitting at a table working on some of their Herbology homework. The Slytherin girl took a deep breath to steel herself and walked over to them.

"Potter, Granger, I need to talk to you two." Harry and Hermione looked at each other in genuine surprise. "Umbridge just came into our common room and started yelling at Daphne Greengrass, claiming that Daphne gave her a treacle tart laced with sleeping potion. I doubt it's true but even if it is, Daphne didn't know anything about it. Will you come down to the common room and see her, see what state she's in?"

"That depends Davis. Is Malfoy or any of his lot in there?" Tracey shook her head, saying that none of them spent much time in their dorm anymore. "Alright, we'll go then." Tracey sighed in relief and led the way down to the dungeons. She gave the password and the wall opened to reveal Daphne, who was still pretending to cry, now being comforted by many other students. "Umbridge ended up taking three hundred points from her and gave her two weeks of detention without even giving her a chance to explain herself.

"I know what you two are doing. I know that you're essentially rebelling against Umbridge and I want to help you. I think most of us do after this. None of us really liked Umbridge before but we all just assumed the stories about how unfair she is were exaggerated. This is our school and we want to help you take it back from her." Harry looked at Hermione, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. They had expected the Slytherins to stood taking a neutral stance, but they never expected anything like this.

"Alright, if you want to help us then we'd be glad to have you. Any of you who are really serious about fighting back can come see Hermione or myself. Davis, you get one hundred points for taking the initiative to come to us about this and both you and Greengrass get one hundred points each for being there for your friend." Harry walked over to Daphne and knelt down in front of her, appearing to console the sobbing girl. "Daphne, we can't actually take away your detentions but I'm sure we can talk Professor Snape into spacing them out and letting you do something productive." She nodded at him and he stood back up. "Remember, anyone who really wants to make an impact and is willing to take a risk should come see either one of us." With that the Head Boy and Girl left the Slytherin dormitory, both feeling a great sense of accomplishment.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>This Means War<strong>

_"Things are not as bad as they appear to be."_

Rain pounded against the window and thunder sounded as Harry jerked awake. He turned his head and looked at the clock on the nightstand, groaning when he saw that it was only six o'clock. Hermione wouldn't be getting up for her class for another hour. He and Ron had a mission with the Order that day and they wouldn't be going to class at all. Hermione wanted to go with them but they all decided that it would look suspicious if she wasn't there and even more suspicious if all three of them were absent. That didn't mean she was happy with the arrangement but she knew that it was for the best.

Despite the earliness of the hour, Harry felt well rested. He had been so exhausted the night before that he had gone to bed at ten-thirty and was asleep within minutes. Since he was pinned into place by his girlfriend's arm over his chest, not that he was complaining, he did about the only thing he could do and let his mind wander back to the past three days.

Everything had been bittersweet since Sunday night. Though they finally had their hands on the locket, they were no closer to being rid of the evil thing. They tried a variety of ways to destroy it only to have them all fail. Their worst attempt was when Harry nearly burned down the house with an ill thought out spell; were it not for Hermione's quick reflexes, they may have very well found themselves homeless. After that they decided to wait until they could get the sword of Gryffindor before trying again.

On the other hand, the Slytherins were very serious about their desire to add to Umbridge's suffering. The very next day, both Greengrass sisters, Tracey Davis, and several others talked to Harry and Hermione about joining the DA. They didn't know that's what Harry meant the night before but they still seemed eager to join the organization. The next night had been their first meeting and while they received stares and cold shoulders at first, by the end of the meeting nearly everyone had reached out to them and made them feel welcome.

With the addition of the Slytherins, Umbridge was really starting to go crazy. It seemed that she couldn't do anything now without someone attempting to give her hell over it. If she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast, someone made sure that she didn't make it with much time to spare. If she tried to reprimand a student for anything they didn't do, others were quick to jump in and defend said student. Even the staff was making things difficult for her. Most of the time they blatantly ignored simple broken rules, being out of bed after hours for example. Other times they actively, though discreetly, helped the students pull pranks and do anything else to make the Headmistress' life hard.

Things were beginning to turn into the end of fifth year again, though it was much bigger this time. While the students who rebelled against Umbridge were more aggressive and numerous, their enemy was more vicious. In an attempt to try to dissuade further acts of rebellion, Umbridge would give harsh punishments for the smallest of offenses, once giving a young boy a week's worth of detention because he broke curfew by a minute. She took an insane amount of points for trivial things, from talking too loudly in the library to getting lost. The teachers and Harry and Hermione tried to balance all this out but there was only so much they could do without alerting Umbridge. Right now it was difficult to tell who was really winning this fight, as Umbridge wasn't hurting morale as much as she was physically hurting the students.

Possibly the most important thing that had occurred since Sunday was at the Order meeting the night before. They still had meetings every Wednesday night and this week was no exception. For the most part there was nothing unusual about it, no one had anything out of the ordinary to say. Snape showed up towards the end with some big news however. He told them that usually the Death Eaters met at Malfoy Manor, where Voldemort himself had resurrected wards that kept most people out. However some of them, mostly the veteran Death Eaters, were going to meet up at Yaxley's manor the next day to discuss certain things that they weren't comfortable talking about in front of Voldemort.

The effect his words had were immediate. Some people wanted to use the opportunity to rob Voldemort of many of his more powerful allies, while some were suspicious of Snape's words. Harry, having decided back in June that Snape was trustworthy, decided to attack the Death Eaters with only a handful of people. His purpose wasn't to eliminate everyone but rather to intimidate them. Without knowing exactly what kind of defenses Yaxley might have on his home, Harry knew that it wouldn't be smart to bring the entire Order to this fight.

Ron and Hermione had immediately volunteered, as he knew they would. McGonagall was quick to point out that it wouldn't be wise for all three of them to go, since students and the teachers would instantly notice their absence. It took over half the members of the Order but they finally managed to convince Hermione that it would look less suspicious if she was the one who went to class. Remus, Tonks, Fred, and George were also quick to volunteer. With Kingsley and Mad-Eye rounding out the group, they felt confident that this would strike a measure of fear into the hearts of Voldemorts minions.

Harry suddenly noticed a glint out of the corner of his eye when lightning flashed and looked to see the Snitch Dumbledore left him still sitting on the nightstand. He, Hermione, and Ron had tried time again to decipher the meaning behind the message on it but none of them could. It frustrated them all immensely, especially Hermione who couldn't see the point of it. Harry knew that it was most likely some kind of riddle but he felt like the pieces weren't all there yet. Or maybe they were there, but the three of them hadn't been thinking about it the right way.

Thinking back, Harry tried to remember everything Dumbledore had told him, in an attempt to discover anything that could be a clue to opening the golden ball. Nothing stood out until he thought about the last conversation he'd had with the Headmaster. Didn't he say that Harry had to die in order to eliminate the piece of Voldemort's soul that lived within him? Was that what the Snitch meant by "the close," the close of Harry's life? As deep as he was in thought, Harry didn't notice that Hermione's slow, even breaths had ceased.

"What're you thinking about?" Her voice made him start and he almost reached for his wand out of instinct. Seeing the grin on her face though, he decided to kiss her instead.

"Minx," he playfully scolded when he drew away. "You did that on purpose." Hermione's mischievous smile widened as she nodded. "You know you're going to pay for that. Right now's not the time though. I think I might have discovered how to open the Snitch." Before Hermione could even ask, he had picked up the ball, brought it close to his face, and uttered the words, "I'm going to die."

The middle of the sphere cracked open at his words, revealing a ring inside. Inside was a gold ring with a stone set in the middle. Looking closely, Harry could see that it had the symbol for the Deathly Hallows on it.

"Maybe it's the Resurrection Stone. That's the only thing I can think of." Hermione looked at her boyfriend skeptically.

"I don't know Harry. I've been thinking lately, ever since you mentioned that Voldemort was looking for the Elder Wand last week, and I'm not sure the Resurrection Stone actually exists. I can understand the Cloak, fuck we know for a fact that you have that, and a wand made of elder wood with thestral hair for a core would be very powerful if it was made right. I still don't see how anything could bring back the dead though, even in an ethereal state like Mr. Lovegood suggested."

"I have a hard time believing it's possible myself but it's got the Deathly Hallows symbol on it. Besides, why would Dumbledore leave it in here otherwise? If it wasn't anything special he would have just left it to me in the will or even given it to me while he was still alive. I don't know what use we have for it right now though. Here, I want you to have it. It's a beautiful ring, whether or not it actually is the Resurrection Stone." He put it in Hermione's hand and she sighed as she looked at it.

"Well if it is the Resurrection Stone, maybe we can use it to summon Dumbledore and find out how to get into Umbridge's office." Seeing the look on Harry's face she added, "despite my doubts, we'd be stupid not to at least see if it's actually the Stone." She turned it over three times, thinking about Dumbledore as she did. She was shocked to discover their old Headmaster standing in front of them after she turned it over for the third time.

"Ah Harry, Ms. Granger. It seems my intuition last year was right. Congratulations are in order I believe." Hermione's face turned red and she pulled the covers higher up over her naked form. "There's no need for such embarrassment Ms. Granger, you are both adults and I assure you that I didn't see anything I shouldn't have." He winked at them as Hermione's blushed deepened. Dumbledore paid her no mind as he continued talking. "I must also commend you for your actions against Ms. Umbridge. You two are causing her no small amount of stress."

"Er, thanks Professor," Harry began, as Hermione was still too wound up to speak, "but don't you mean 'Professor Umbridge?'"

"No I mean 'Ms. Umbridge' my dear boy. She is no teacher. You see Harry, teachers care about the welfare of their students and do their best to nurture them. Ms. Umbridge cares only about asserting her authority and making sure that everyone knows that she is in charge. She attempts to control through order instead of allowing you all the freedom that comes with age. Naturally, younger students require more discipline but you older students should be allowed much more freedom than she's comfortable with giving. Now then, I assume you had a reason for summoning me from the afterlife?"

"Yes, yes, sir," Hermione managed to say. "We managed to get the locket from her on Sunday, the one that Voldemort turned into a Horcrux, but we need Gryffindor's sword to destroy it. We were hoping you might be able to at least point us in the right direction."

"I can do more than that Ms. Granger. The sword in question is actually behind my portrait in Ms. Umbridge's office. The password to get in is 'pureblood.' You would do well to provide her with a distraction though, as she likes to randomly return to the office and check her belongings. I believe she is paranoid that someone will break in and throw the room into chaos, as Mr. Jordan did two years ago with the nifflers. I am unsure but I also believe she has security in place to alert her if anyone does come in."

"Thank you Professor," Hermione responded in relief. "Er, how do we let you, you know, go back to being dead?" No sooner had she spoke the words than Dumbledore began to vanish.

"Wait, wait. Before I leave for now, I wish to give you both some parting words. Things are not as bad as they appear to be. Keep at it and lean on each other for support. You've given Voldemort cause to be concerned now." With that, the old Headmaster vanished, leaving a slightly bewildered but determined Harry and Hermione.

Armed with a way to get the sword and finally destroy another one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, the two teens set about preparing for their day. While Hermione took a shower and made herself presentable for her classes, Harry cooked them breakfast. They usually let Dobby cook their first meal of the day to give themselves a few more minutes of sleep, which Hermione only agreed to out of necessity, but today was different. Since Harry didn't have to rush he was able to take the time to make their food and give Dobby and well-deserved break from the task. Hermione came down to the kitchen at five past seven, dreading the day ahead; it was the first time Harry would be doing a mission this dangerous without her. She gave her boyfriend a weak smile as she began to eat. Ron appeared out of the fire at almost precisely seven-thirty.

"Morning Ron," Harry told his best friend as he sat a plate loaded with food in front of him. Ron voiced his thanks and started eating. "Are you ready?" Ron shrugged and swallowed his food before answering.

"I've got to be don't I? It's not like there's a choice in the matter. Voldemort doesn't care if we're ready, he's coming after us all anyway. Might as well strike against him instead of waiting for him to attack us all the time. I just wish we knew what we were going up against. Snape really doesn't know what kinds of defenses Yaxley has around his house?"

"None. Severus said that he'd never been to Yaxley's place, nor does he have any desire to. He made it sound like Yaxley doesn't like him very much."

"I guess I'll go on," Hermione spoke up, looking at her watch. "I wish I could go with you but I know I can't." She wanted to say more but held her tongue, knowing that nothing she said would give any of them piece of mind. She hugged Ron tightly, trying to pour all her feelings for him into the gesture, and gave Harry a long, passionate kiss. "Please be careful," she whispered to him. Harry nodded and gave her a smile as she tossed some Floo powder into the fireplace. "I love you Harry." He didn't get a chance to respond before she disappeared in the flames.

"She's really worked up about this isn't she?" Ron said more than asked.

"Yeah, I knew she would be. This is the first time she won't be coming with me for something like this. I can understand her point too. Either of us could just as easily die if she was there but at least then she'd be with us if that happened. Besides, this may be one of the most dangerous things we've done so far. Attacking the Death Eaters at Hogsmeade is one thing, but attacking them at their home is something completely different. That's why I didn't want to risk any more people than the eight of us, and it's also why I'm glad she's not coming with us."

"You know that she feels the same way about you right mate? I know that you'd feel terrible and more than a little guilty if something happened to her but she'd be devastated if you got hurt too. And how do you think I'll feel about having to tell her? So you'd best make sure to stay alive so I don't have to let her know that you're not coming back." Harry smiled at Ron's half-hearted attempt at humor.

"Oh we know the password to Umbridge's office now and we can get in and get the sword. I guess 'Mione and I will distract her while you grab it."

"Really? How'd you find out?"

"I'll tell you later," Harry responded as Remus and Kingsley both appeared in the fireplace.

* * *

><p>Minerva McGonagall was looking at Hermione with a heavy look on her face. The young woman was so distant and sad that it made the Transfiguration professor's heart ache. She knew the reason of course, and knew that there wasn't much she could say or do to ease the girl's fears. All throughout class, the Head Girl had been distant and didn't participate much, which was very unusual for her; then again, this was an unusual situation she found herself in. In an attempt to help her out as much as possible, McGonagall had refused to call on Hermione and didn't say anything when she didn't do much of the wandwork.<p>

"Ms. Granger, could I see you for a moment?" The Head of Gryffindor House was determined to at least do something to help one of her best students. When Hermione approached, she could see the fear in her eyes and she had to resist the urge to cry. She waited until the last student left before addressing the younger Witch. "I know you're worried Hermione but you can't spend your entire time worrying about them. Harry knows what he's doing and he wouldn't have set this up if he thought it would end badly."

"They're attacking a group of Death Eaters at Yaxley's house Minerva," Hermione responded. "They don't know anything about Yaxley's defenses, they aren't sure how many are there, and they don't even know if the plan will work. The only reason Harry's doing this is to send a message. It could all be for nothing and we could end up losing much more than we gain. _I_ could end up losing everything." McGonagall reached out to pull Hermione into a hug as the Head Girl finally burst into tears. It was unusual for McGonagall to show any kind of affection to a student, especially in so strong a form, but she knew that Hermione needed the comfort right now.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said as she tried to calm herself down. "I'm sorry I'm so torn up about this. I'm just really worried about Harry and Ron, mostly Harry." McGonagall released the young Witch and looked her in the eyes.

"Hermione, you have no need to apologize for anything. This is the first time you and Harry have been separated like this since you started your relationship. It's understandable that you would be worried, especially given the situation. It never completely goes away, you're always going to worry about him when it comes to things like this, but I promise that it does get easier over time." Hermione nodded and tried to smile, though it came out as more of a grimace. "I'm assuming you haven't heard anything at all yet?"

"No, nothing. I'm going to go back home for lunch and see what happened. I guess no news is good news, but I'm not sure if they've even started their attack. I hope it's already over and they just didn't have anything to say."

"You know as well as I that Harry would be back here in class if they were already finished. He knows how much you care about him and he wouldn't let you keep thinking the worst like this. There's nothing else for either of us to do but wait it out. If you still haven't heard anything after lunch and want to talk, remember that my door's open for you."

"Thanks Minerva. I guess I should probably go on down to Potions before Slughorn wonders where I'm at. I promise I'll let you know when I find out something." McGonagall nodded and dismissed Hermione, who sped off down to the dungeons. She bolted into the classroom just before Slughorn shut the door, muttering an apology as she went to sit at the table usually reserved for her, Harry, and Ron.

Much like Transfiguration, she didn't participate in the class much though Slughorn did his best to get her to. She was sure that if he knew the circumstances he'd let her be, but she wasn't going to tell him that she was worried about Harry and Ron and raise uneasy questions. They had been in class for seventy-five minutes when Ginny came in, saying that she had a message for the Head Girl. She thanked Ginny as she took the note and started reading it, her potion instantly pushed to the back of her mind.

_It was rough but they're all back home. They'll tell you more after class._

Hermione read the two sentences several times over, her breathing coming easier each time. She knew there was much more to the message than Ginny could deliver but the point was they were all alright. This was the most relieved she had ever been in her entire life. The rest of class went by in a blur for her as the thought of Harry's safety completely occupied her mind. When Slughorn dismissed them twenty-five minutes later, Hermione was the first one out the door.

* * *

><p>Harry looked at his watch and saw that it was just past ten o'clock. Hermione would have just started Potions class now. He hoped she would be able to focus but knew that she was most likely fretting over his safety and wasn't paying attention to much else. It was unusual to think of her not actively participating in class but at this point he wasn't surprised. He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. Right now wasn't the time to think about Hermione; he needed to stay focused on their reason for being outside Yaxley's manor.<p>

They had been waiting outside the house for close to an hour now and so far nothing had happened. Harry trusted Snape's information to be accurate but he thought for sure that this meeting would have already started. He hoped that they didn't change the day or abandon the meeting altogether. If they did it wouldn't be a big loss but it would still be a disappointment. They were about to cut their losses and leave when they noticed the telltale signs of someone Apparating into the house.

Over the next five minutes the Order members were aware of more Death Eaters Apparating in. They waited an additional ten minutes to make sure that no one was else was coming. After being sure that no one else was going to show up the eight men were ready to begin their attack. They split into four teams of two and surrounded the house with Harry and Ron taking the front. They gave the others time to get into position and, at a nod from Ron, Harry blasted open the door and the two of them charged in.

The Death Eaters were taken aback at the sudden assault and at first they were unsure of what to do. When Ron used a _Ventiaurus_ spell that knocked a number of Voldemort's followers into the wall, it seemed to bring the others out of their stupor. They pulled out their wands and returned fire just as Harry produced a whip of fire with the incantation _Flagellum_. He began brandishing it with considerable skill, using it to keep the Death Eaters off balance while Ron threw more dangerous spells at them including the Killing Curse.

The other six members of the Order had joined the teens now and caused Yaxley and the others to panic, despite the vast numerical advantage they had. They were all well aware that the seven men and Tonks were some of the best in the Order and couldn't help but be shocked by their aggressiveness. This was a new move for the Order and the Death Eaters were more focused on it than they should have been. Fortunately for Voldemort's followers, Yaxley was rather quick to recover from the shock and began to rally the others.

"Ron, on your left!" Harry exclaimed as one of the men had started making his way around the redhead. In a panic the Death Eater sent a Killing Curse at Ron, only for the teen to Disapparate at the last minute and reappear a few feet away. Before he could retaliate Harry waved his wand, wordlessly performing his _Interia_ curse, and sent the man through the wall to the outside of the house. The man slumped down and didn't move.

By this point, most everyone had taken cover behind something, Harry and Ron being the two exceptions. The teens were a maelstrom of power, quickly firing off multiple spells which all seemed to find their mark even at the rapid pace. They were able to keep their assault up until one of the Death Eaters sent a Blasting Curse in their direction. The purpose of this spell wasn't to actually hit either of them, but rather to disrupt their attack. It did its job when it hit the ground in front of Harry and caused an explosion that threw both him and Ron against the wall.

The other six Order members were shocked at seeing the teens hit the wall but they were confident the two were still alive. This was affirmed a few moments later when Harry and Ron stiffly made their way back to a standing position. They were clearly hurt, the cuts on their faces and Harry's limp arm proved that, but neither were too beat up to stop.

Despite the broken right arm Harry obviously had, the leader of the Order was still proving to be incredibly efficient in the battle. Being forced to use his off hand did little to slow him down and he was as aggressive as ever. The first thing he did when he was back on his feet was make a circle with his wand and send a ball of lightning to the Death Eaters; it connected with a large man Harry knew to be Goyle and he instantly blacked out from the pain. Another man, possibly Crabbe, used the opportunity to send a streak of orange towards Harry. The raven-haired teen was able to dodge the spell by Disapparating away, much as Ron had earlier. When he Apparated back in, he muttered the incantation Temperia and pointed his wand at the older man, causing him to be lifted into the air as his intestines were constricted. At another wave from Harry's wand, the man flew back and landed on the floor where he coughed up a shocking amount of blood before falling unconscious.

Ron's meeting with the wall seemed to enrage him more than anything else. He started rapidly firing off any nasty curse that entered his head, most of which missed. One that did hit was a Killing Curse, which snuffed out the like of a scruffy-looking man they had all seen quite often, though none of them who he was. Ron vicious assault further frightened Voldemort's followers and they doubled their efforts to take the redhead out of the fight. Their attempts to do so all ended in more injuries and they abandoned their quest to kill or maim Ron. Unfortunately, the teen had no desire to cease or even ease off on his attack and he used a brief break in his enemies' assailment to rain further havoc upon them. The end result was even more injuries for the Death Eaters, though they were fortunate enough that no more of them were killed.

Though Harry and Ron were arguably the brunt of the assault, the other six Order members weren't just sitting back and watching the action. Fred and George had formed a team and were either disrupting their enemies or trying to force them out into the open. True to his nature, Remus was rather reserved and made each spell count, using precise, purposeful spells as opposed to randomly firing off the first thing that popped into his head. The three Aurors had their training to fall back on and the they made use of it, though Tonks was noticeably more aggressive that Kingsley and Mad-Eye. Over the course of the next hour, the other members of the Order ended up with injuries similar to Harry and Ron but they gave even better than they got. Of the thirty-one Death Eaters who were there, ten were killed and seven more were seriously injured. At this point the followers of Voldemort all Disapparated from the manor, including Yaxley though he was obviously hesitant to do so.

"Alright," Harry began, trying to catch his breath, "I think we've made our statement here. It's a shame they took the seven we hurt but at least we killed ten of them. Hopefully it'll make them rethink their position if nothing else. We need to get back to Grimmauld Place and let everyone else know how it went." The others agreed and as one Disapparated to just outside of Harry's house.

The first thing Harry did after they went inside was compose a message to Ginny letting her know that everyone was alright, even if they were a little banged up. The others knew that his main priority was letting Hermione know that they were alright and let him be while they sent their own messages to the rest of the Order members. Once they were satisfied that everyone had been notified of the outcome, they started nursing their wounds. It was a simple matter to mend broken bones and heal cuts but none of them were interested in that. They wanted to wear their injuries as badges of honor and merely treated them instead of actually healing them. The only one to even partially heal their injuries was Harry, who had no choice but to work on his right arm. After he put the arm in a sling and he had tended to his other injuries, he waved his wand and eight butterbeers flew through the air. They had just brought the bottles to their lips when the fireplace glowed green and Hermione stepped out.

"Harry!" The Witch rushed at Harry, clearly doing her best to keep from knocking her boyfriend over and smothering him with kisses. She instead settled for placing her hands lovingly on the side of his face and giving him a single deep kiss that conveyed all her emotion. "Ginny was right, you do look rough. You're not going to heal yourself?"

"No, we're letting our injuries heal on their own as a reminder of the battle. It went a lot better than any of us thought it would I think. Ten dead, seven seriously injured, and if the hastiness of their retreat is any indication, we scared the fuck out of them. And we were outnumbered four to one. We need to make sure that people know about this though. Fred, George, can you two make sure that the _Prophet_ gets the details on this story?" The twins nodded and left to talk to Lee Jordan about getting the details to the public. One by one the others followed them, soon leaving only Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The boys grabbed their bags and the three of them returned to Hogwarts in time to eat lunch.

"So what's this about knowing the password to Umbridge's office?" Ron asked between bites. The redhead wasn't happy about not having Luna by his side like usual but he knew they couldn't let her in on this conversation. He had made sure to let her know that he was alright and promised that he would talk to her before lunch was over. The young Ravenclaw knew that her boyfriend was deeply involved in the war and had long ago accepted that circumstances would force them apart at times, so she understood.

"Harry figured out what the message on the Snitch said," Hermione responded as she fed Harry. "The Resurrection Stone was inside and I used it to bring back Dumbledore. He told us the password and where to find Gryffindor's sword. We need to get it as soon as possible."

"Let's wait until classes are over," Harry said after swallowing. He was slightly uncomfortable letting Hermione feed him but his right arm was essentially useless right now and he didn't have much choice. "'Mione and I can use my arm to our advantage and distract her while you sneak inside and get the sword. You'll have to be quick about it though mate, we don't know how long we can keep her distracted and Dumbledore said she might have spells in place to alert her if someone gets into the office."

"Alright, sounds good to me. So are we done with this for the time being?" At Harry's nod, the redhead waved Luna over and seemed to relax a little more in her presence. Ginny and Neville joined them soon after and the six of them enjoyed lunch as best as they could given the circumstances.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Harry, Hermione, and Ron could be found standing down the hall in view of Umbridge's office as the pored over the Marauder's Map. They were trying to find Umbridge and make sure that she wasn't in her office. While they didn't look completely innocent, they didn't exactly stand out either and no one really thought anything about them being there. Most people who saw them thought they were waiting on Umbridge for whatever reason.<p>

"There she is," Harry suddenly stated, pointing to the piece of parchment in Hermione's hands. "Alright she's on the second floor so she must be on her way up here. Good, that alone should give us enough time but we'll still need to distract her just to be safe."

"What makes you so sure she's on her way up here mate? It's only fifteen minutes until dinner so she could be heading to the Great Hall." Hermione rolled her eyes at the redhead and answered him.

"Honestly Ronald, not everyone thinks about food as much as you do, though I suppose you have something else to think about now that Luna's around." The back of Ron's ears went red as Harry chuckled but he didn't say anything. "Look, she's heading away from the Great Hall. We know she likes to check her office a lot, so she probably checks it before dinner every day. It would be the perfect time for someone to do something and she knows it."

"There's no time to argue about this," Harry piped back up. "We'll go down there and do something to distract her. You know the password and where the sword is right Ron?"

"Yeah, yeah, 'pureblood' and behind Dumbledore's portrait," Ron replied in a bored tone as he pulled on Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Though he could perform the Disillusionment Charm, he wasn't quite as skilled with it as the other two and they all decided it would easier and safer for him to use the Cloak. Harry and Hermione heard his footsteps recede as they headed in the opposite direction to head of the Headmistress. They nearly collided into her just as they were getting ready to go down the stairs on the fifth floor.

"What happened to your arm Mr. Potter?" They could easily hear the curiosity in her voice but there was no trace of concern, not that either of them expected it.

"I fell off my broom during practice last night Professor," Harry responded, reciting the practiced line perfectly. "Hermione fixed me up on the pitch and we came home after that. We decided we didn't want to bother Madam Pomfrey with something that we could easily do ourselves." Umbridge's eyebrow rose and she appeared not to believe the lie.

"And how is it that someone who has played as long as you gets an injury that severe during practice?"

"Bad luck and focusing on the wrong thing. I wasn't paying attention to the Bludgers when I was going after the Snitch. I had my arm out to grab it when one of them hit me in the shoulder and the other rammed into my back and knocked me off the broom. I was about twenty feet in the air and I landed on my arm wrong. I guess there's no right way to land from that height though."

"Harry's always finding new ways to hurt himself anyway Professor," Hermione helpfully added, making sure that Umbridge realized how ordinary this was for them.

"Oh." The Headmistress blinked a few times as she processed what they told her. "Well alright then. If you'll excuse me." The two teens looked at each other, apparently lost for words. They had both expected Umbridge to be more interested in what happened to Harry, enough that she would spend a few more minutes interrogating them. They knew they had to come up with something else to grab her attention and fast.

"Wait Professor," Harry blurted out. "We, er, we think we might know of a way to get the students to warm up to you a little bit." That certainly garnered Umbridge's attention and she turned back to face the Head Boy and Girl.

"Oh? And what is that Mr. Potter?" Harry looked at Hermione, who for once had no idea what to say, and carefully thought out his response.

"Er, well, if you did away with some of your decrees, especially the ones that don't actually pertain to school, it would help. It would show that you care about them." Umbridge gave him her falsely sweet smile before answering

"That's a very sweet thought Mr. Potter, but as I said before, this school is a dictatorship, not a democracy. The decrees will stay in place and the students will learn to live with them. If there are no rules then there will be chaos."

"But what's the point of not allowing boys and girls to be within six inches of each other?" Hermione pressed, building on the foundation that Harry had laid out. "It's not like anything's going to happen just because we're allowed to be close to the opposite sex."

"I will not allow my students to be tempted by their urges. If they are not allowed to be close to each other, then they will not be enticed to do anything further." Harry and Hermione both thought about the sex they had nearly every night and had to suppress a smile. They were sure that the other students were engaging in similar activities behind closed doors but they weren't about to say it aloud. "Now, if there's nothing else, I'll be off." The teens shrugged and turned back to continue down the stairs. As soon as they found an empty classroom, they bolted inside and pulled out the map.

"Good, Ron's not in her office anymore," Hermione announced, pointing at their friend's name. He was on his way downstairs himself, on the sixth floor. "You stay here sweetheart, I'll go get him." Harry nodded, realizing she wouldn't let him do much in his current state, and watched as she left with the map. The classroom door opened back up five minutes later and Hermione stepped back in with Ron.

"Alright mate, we got the sword so what do we do now?" Ron was slightly grumpy at missing dinner and it showed on his face.

"We're going back to Grimmauld Place. We've left the locket there." Ron nodded and the three of them made their way to Gryffindor Tower where they Flooed to the house. Without wasting any time, Harry retrieved the locket from the nightstand and put it on the floor in front of Ron.

"Alright Ron, I'm going to open it and you're going to stab it. Whatever's in there is going to put up a fight so be ready." Ron looked at his best friend in shock. "Don't look at me like that Ron, you're doing this. I know you have to be the one to do it. You're the one who got the sword so it only makes sense. Just don't pay any attention to whatever comes out."

Ron nodded and steeled himself as Harry spoke in Parseltongue, causing the locket to slowly open. A terrible voice instantly filled the house, seeming to echo as it spoke to Ron. It claimed to know his greatest fears and insecurities, that he was least loved by his mother and that Luna would leave him for someone else. Most of all, it claimed that it could help him move out of Harry's shadow and be loved and adored by everyone just as the Boy-Who-Lived was. How it was going to help him do that though was lost, as Ron chose that moment to pierce the locket with the sword.

"Please tell me you didn't actually believe any of that Ron," Harry almost pleaded. He had no idea that his best friend really felt that way and he wanted to help him if it was true.

"No," the redhead responded, shaking his head. "I thought similar things at one point in time, especially about mum, but I don't anymore. I've realized that Mum doesn't love me any less, she just has really high hopes for me. I don't believe I'm living in your shadow anymore, mainly because I realize that you don't have a shadow for me to live in. You, Hermione, and everyone else important to me see me as Ron, not as the best mate of the Boy-Who-Lived, and that's what matters. I know that Luna won't leave me for someone else because she's not like that. She doesn't want to be with anyone but me and, as pretty as she is, it's not like people are lining up to date her. I'm happy with who I am and where I am in my life now, that's all that matters to me."

Harry smiled and clapped Ron on the back while Hermione engulfed him in a hug. They had never realized his jealousy was a result of feeling inferior next to Harry and they couldn't exactly blame him for it. Both of them had learned over the years how hard it was to be associated with a celebrity and not develop some kind of insecurity because of it.

"Alright, I guess I'm going to head back to the castle then. I've got to get back to the Great Hall before dinner's over and meet up with Luna."

"Actually, we were hoping you'd eat with us tonight," Harry revealed as Hermione began taking out pots and pans. "If you want, you can get Luna and bring her here and the four of us can eat together." It took Ron less than a second to make up his mind and he disappeared through the fire back to Hogwarts. Ten minutes later, the fire roared to life again as he and Luna stepped out. They spent the next hour and a half together before Ron and Luna returned to the castle, leaving the two occupants of the house to work on other things.

As Hermione sat down to work on her homework, she chanced a glance at her boyfriend who was going over details for the Order and the DA. She smiled as she realized that she had every intention of letting Harry copying her homework when she was finished, not because he didn't know what he was doing but because of what he had been through that day. He had risked his life to bring a small amount of justice to Voldemort's followers and Hermione would be damned if she forced him to try using his left hand to do this. No, she resolved that until his arm healed up, she would be doing homework for the both of them, using magic to copy it from one piece of parchment to the other. What really made her smile though was when she realized that she was more than happy to do this for him, even though he would likely try to fight her on it.

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><p>Ron stumbled into the Gryffindor common room at five after ten looking exhausted and haggard. He nodded at Ginny and Neville and walked past them to his dormitory. After he left, Ginny settled back into her place at Neville's side and his arm wrapped tighter around her. He knew that something was bothering her but he was willing to wait until she told him what it was. He didn't have to wait very long.<p>

"He's been doing something with the Order again."

"Are you sure? Maybe he was with Luna."

"If he hadn't been with the Order he would've been at dinner. Luna's more welcome at the Gryffindor table than Ron is with the Ravenclaws. I don't know what else he'd have to do so soon after this morning." At Neville's questioning look she explained, knowing that Harry himself told Neville much that was going on with the Order. "Harry, Ron, and six other Order members attacked some of the Death Eaters today at Yaxley's manor. Apparently it was pretty bloody but none of them died and they dealt a huge blow to Voldemort.

"I'm scared Nev. I know no one died today but I think it was a close call. Did you see the wounds on his face? And it was even worse for Harry. Hell you saw his broken arm. Hermione was worried sick the entire time they were gone this morning and I don't fucking blame her.

"My entire family is personally involved in this stupid fucking war and the only reason I'm not is because they won't let me. I know Harry and Hermione aren't blood related but they're still family too as far as I'm concerned. They and Ron are right in the middle of this whole thing because Voldemort is obsessed with immortality and thinks that Harry is the only one who can pose a threat to him. It scares me every time any one of them goes to do something, especially Ron. I love my brother but I know he's not quite as powerful as Harry and Hermione and I'm worried that he'll eventually try to do too much. I can't lose any of them Nev."

"I understand Ginny but you've got to remember that Harry feels the same way and he realizes Ron's limitations. He won't let him do something that might be over his head, even if Ron gets mad at him. Besides, Ron and I have discussed this before and he assured me that he understands the importance of this. If Harry doesn't want him to be involved in something then he's not going to fight it. But you've got to remember that Harry thought he's skilled enough to participate in an attack against a group of some of the best Death Eaters. He wouldn't have made that decision lightly."

"It's more than just that though. You saw how tired he was just now. If this goes on much longer I'm worried that they'll all be overwhelmed, especially Harry. He's the leader of the Order, Head Boy, leader of the DA, Quidditch Captain, and he still has to go to school and put up with that bitch Umbridge. Being the leader of the Order alone is an enormous responsibility, I don't know how he does it all. If Ron's this tired I can only imagine how exhausted Harry is."

"Then we'll have to do what we can to help him. Maybe we can start doing more to help out with the DA or something. Knowing Harry, he won't want us to but we'll just force him to let up. Even he has to realize that he has limitations." Ginny reluctantly nodded, seemingly a little more at ease, and buried herself deeper into Neville's side. The worry she felt over her family, blood or otherwise, seemed to finally to get to her and she was asleep in minutes.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Almost Easy<strong>

_"I thought things would go to hell without me to keep everyone serious and focused."_

Luna Lovegood was in a happy and committed relationship with Ron Weasley, as everyone at Hogwarts knew, but she still couldn't help but be fascinated by Harry Potter. Not because he was the Boy-Who-Lived of course, but because of who he was. Despite everything he had been through in his life, he was still kind and loving and generous. His bravery was without limit but what she admired most about him was his never ending passion. He was teaching them more about dueling and his excitement was obvious to her. As he stood up in front of the DA with Hermione and Ron at his side she could almost literally feel his barely contained enthusiasm.

It was a good subject to learn and Harry was probably the best person to teach them. He was the only person in the world who had dueled Voldemort on more than one occasion and was still alive to tell the tale. Of course, he himself admitted that mostly that was more luck than skill, but there was no denying that Harry was an excellent duelist. He had held his own against, and even defeated, some of the most powerful Death Eaters and wasn't matched by any other student at Hogwarts, though Hermione came very close. His dueling style was very aggressive and definitely wasn't right for everyone, but they all recognized that just knowing the spells wasn't enough in a duel.

Ron watched Luna as he stood at Harry's left side, a light smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He wasn't stupid, he knew how his girlfriend felt about his best friend, but he also knew that he didn't have anything to worry about. The two of them had already had discussed this and she told him that she saw Harry only as a friend. Besides, Ron was very well aware of the intensity of Harry's feelings for Hermione and knew that no one could compare to the brunette Witch in his mind. With a shake of his head, Ron brought himself back to reality when he realized that he was starting to zone out. He heard Harry announce that he and Hermione were going to give a quick demonstration on the art of dueling and his jaw dropped; duels between Harry and Hermione were never quick, as both ended up giving in to their competitive nature and trying to outdo each other.

He didn't have the chance to voice his concerns before the raven-haired Wizard ushered him out of the way. The redhead recognized the look in both of his best friends' eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to talk them out of the duel anyway. He moved to stand by Luna and kept a firm hand on his wand, ready to intervene if necessary. The couple had just barely turned to face each other when Harry sent a spell towards Hermione. She effortlessly batted it aside and retaliated, only for Harry to swat the spell away with an almost lazy flick of his wand.

Things immediately escalated after that, almost as if casting those two spells was merely a preliminary action before the real battle began. It was a sight to behold despite their very different dueling styles, which may have been the point of the entire lesson. Harry was very aggressive and stood his ground, choosing to block or deflect spells instead of dodge them. He wasn't in a duel, he was in a fight and he acted accordingly. On the other hand, Hermione preferred to use her mind over power, though that wasn't surprising to anyone. Her dueling style was unorthodox, utilizing noncombat spells to throw Harry off guard before using seemingly random attack spells to attempt to capitalize on his temporary bewilderment.

It seemed that the two of them forgot where they were at or became lost in the duel, which was the more likely option, because they had been dueling for nearly ten minutes with no sign of stopping. Ron decided that it had gone on long enough and, with a nod to Ginny, sent out a Shield Charm with her that blocked the two duelists. Harry blinked in surprise and looked around as he suddenly remembered where he was and what the point of the duel had been. Hermione looked abashed at her sudden lapse in memory, though everyone who knew her well enough wasn't at all surprised.

"Er, so as you can see," Harry began, trying to regain his composure, "everyone's dueling style will differ depending on a multitude of things. I try to overwhelm my opponents so I tend to be very aggressive. Hermione takes a very different approach and tries to keep her opponent off balance. Most of the time our dueling style ends up being an extension of our personality. Now we don't have time to go over it today in detail today, but I want all of you to think about how you duel, or would duel as it may be. We'll pick up from here next time."

Ron gave his best friend a pointed look as everyone started to pack up. It had been two weeks since they destroyed the locket and, while they weren't exactly upset over their lack of further progress, they didn't have much of an idea of what else to look for. Ron suggested that Harry ask the other students if they knew anything, which Hermione was also in favor of, but Harry absolutely refused. He didn't want to involve the other students and it seemed he hadn't changed his mind, since he shook his head at Ron and mouthed "no." Hermione, obviously not pleased with his reaction, reached over and pinched his arm hard.

"Fuck, that hurt 'Mione. Alright fine then." In a louder voice he said, "hold on before you go." Everyone stopped what they were doing and gave the Head Boy their undivided attention. "I'm looking for something that may help defeat Voldemort. It most likely belonged to Ravenclaw. I can't tell you what it is for your own safety, but does anyone know of anything?"

"There's Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna suggested without hesitation.

"Luna the diadem's been lost for years," Terry Boot stated. "That's why it's called the _lost_ diadem."

"If anyone found it then it would be Voldemort," Harry spoke up again, trying to cut off an argument. "That plays into his hand pretty well actually. What exactly is a diadem though?"

"It's a kind of crown, sort of like a tiara. I'll show it to you if you want Harry. The bust of Ravenclaw in the common room has one."

"Alright, thanks Luna. We need a reason to go inside though, to keep everyone else from knowing the real reason and getting suspicious. Do you think you could come up with something?" The dirty blonde Ravenclaw nodded. "Good, we'll be in the library." The students filed out, most going back to their common rooms, while Harry and Hermione went to the library. Anthony Goldstein came in thirty minutes later.

"There you two are. I'm glad I found you. Your friend Luna's in trouble. She walked down the stairs and just fainted. It looks like a spell but we're not quite sure and we decided we'd let you take a look at her first, because we all know how Umbridge is. We thought you might know what happened to her and be able to heal her without the Headmistress finding out."

The Head Boy and Girl nodded simultaneously and followed the Ravenclaw prefect to Ravenclaw tower. Anthony grabbed the eagle knocker and rapped it against the wooden door three times, causing a voice to materialize.

"What is the only thing that can't survive without light?"

"What the fuck was that?" Harry asked, startled.

"We don't have a password," Anthony explained. "To get into our common room you've got to answer a question. If you get it wrong you have to wait outside until someone else answers it right, that way you learn."

"Well we don't exactly have time to wait around for someone else to come along and answer it right, Anthony."

"We won't have to sweetheart," Hermione piped up. "The answer is darkness. It can't exist without light."

"Very good," the disembodied voice said as it opened. Inside they found Luna lying on one of the couches, evidently having been moved there by the other students, and rushed to her side. Hermione pulled out her wand and began waving it over the younger Witch while Harry stood behind the couch, looking up in thought. He appeared to be considering what the spell could have been or who attacked Luna but in reality he was studying the statue of Ravenclaw above the fireplace. Sitting on her head was an exact replica of the diadem, which Harry knew he had seen before but he couldn't be sure where. He didn't get much chance to contemplate it before the sound of Luna waking up caused his attention to avert back to her.

"Harry, Hermione," Luna said, seemingly surprised to see them. "What are you two doing here?"

"We heard you fainted and someone hit you with a spell. Anthony came to the library to get us and here we are. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine Hermione. No one attacked me, it was just an accidental spell. I had my wand in my pocket and it went off when I mentioned the incantation for a spell. It's nothing serious, I'm alright now. Thanks for coming to check on me though." Harry and Hermione returned the smile she gave them and started walked out of the common room.

"Well, did you get a good enough look at it?" Hermione asked as soon as they were alone.

"Yeah and I've seen it somewhere before, I just can't remember where. Wait, that was in the Room of Requirement when I went to hide my Potions book last year! I remember putting it on top of some old, ugly bust."

"Great! Now we know where it's at, so let's go find it."

"Hold on, we've already destroyed one thing that belonged to the Founders, I don't want to ruin something else if I don't have to. You go get Ron and explain things to him. I'm going to find the Grey Lady and see if she might know anything about it. She is the ghost of Ravenclaw after all, maybe she can help us." Hermione nodded and took off for Gryffindor Tower while Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map. He began searching for the Grey Lady and found her outside the Great Hall.

"I need to speak with you," Harry said, slightly winded when he had made his way to the ghost. "I need to ask you about Ravenclaw's diadem." The Grey Lady looked at him with a mixture of both sadness and disgust.

"You're not the first student to covet the diadem. There have been many who tried to seek it in the hopes of improving their grades."

"What do you mean?"

"The diadem enhances the wisdom of whomever wears it. Did you not know that?"

"No. Look, this isn't about getting better marks or becoming smarter. I'm trying to destroy Voldemort and I think he may have used the diadem for something. If he did I need to destroy it. Don't you care about that?"

"How dare you?! Of course I care! But...how do I know you won't end up like him?" Harry's heart began to beat faster when she spoke those words. He knew that whatever she was about to tell him would be important but she seemed very hesitant to actually say it. He had to choose his words carefully.

"You know I won't end up like him because I've been fighting him for the past two and a half years. I have no interest in cheating death, I just want him destroyed. If I had any other reason, I wouldn't have come to you." The Grey Lady thought about his words for a moment. She heard the sincerity behind them and realized that he was indeed telling the truth.

"I'm ashamed at what I did. He seemed so nice, so charming. He said he wanted to help me. Please, don't let him befoul my mother's diadem any longer."

"Your mother?"

"Yes. I am Helena Ravenclaw, Rowena's daughter. I was envious of her wisdom and importance and sought to make myself better than her. I stole the diadem and fled to Albania. No one knew what I did and my mother, ashamed at what happened, hid the fact until her death. On her death bed she wished to see me one last time and so sent a young man who's love I had rejected after me.

"I hid the diadem in a tree and tried to stay away from him but he still managed to find me. When I refused to return here for my mother, he tried to persuade me with his love for me. I spurned his advance yet again and in a fit of rage he drew his dagger and stabbed me." At this point she paused and shifted her robe, showing Harry what could only be a blood stain over her heart. "The Baron always was a passionate man and easily got caught up in the moment. When he realized what he'd done, he stabbed himself to death in grief."

"Wait," Harry interrupted her. He knew that now wasn't the best time for this but his curiosity was piqued. "When you say Baron, do you mean the Bloody Baron?"

"Yes, he was the one. We both returned to the castle and the diadem was left in the tree in Albania. No one ever found it until he asked me about it. If only I had known."

"You can't blame yourself for this." Harry's voice was firm but kind, reassuring the Lady that he wanted to help her. "I've seen memories of what Voldemort was like in his younger days. He was charming, kind, and manipulative. No one would have ever thought that he would grow up to be what he is today. I can understand how easy it would have been to believe that he wanted to help you, to ease the burden you carry. And I promise to do what he didn't. I'm going to destroy the diadem so that his filth won't be in it anymore."

He left the ghost there and quickly made his way to the seventh floor where he found Hermione and Ron standing outside the Room of Requirement. They admittedly looked suspicious standing there but at that point none of them cared. All that mattered was that they had another Horcrux at the tips of their fingers.

"That is the next Horcrux," Harry announced upon joining them. "I remember where I put it, I just don't remember exactly where it's at. It's nine o'clock now, so do you two want this tonight or wait until tomorrow? It's not going anywhere and one more day won't hurt us but getting it out of the way will be one less to worry about." Ron and Hermione looked at each other and immediately made up their mind.

"We're already here mate," Ron spoke for the both of them. "We could wait until tomorrow to do this but we might as well go on and do it now. It might take a while, fuck we might be in there all damn night, but we all knew there would be sacrifices. Let's go on and get this done so we'll have one less to worry about. Then we can focus on other things." Harry nodded and walked in front of the wall three times, a door appearing after the third time.

The three of them walked in and began searching, with Harry instructing the others to look for a chipped, ugly bust of a warlock with the diadem on top of it. They went off in different directions and rushed through the room. An hour later, Harry was becoming frustrated and beginning to lose confidence. He thought he had an idea of where the bust was, and he had walked around that particular area several times, but he still didn't find what he was looking for. Finally he heard Hermione give a triumphant shout and he knew that she found the object of their search; he began his way back to the front of the room to reunite with the other two.

"Here it is," Hermione sang, a light smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. Harry rolled his eyes and went to take the diadem but his girlfriend pulled it out of his grasp. He pulled her in for a kiss and used the opportunity to take the Horcrux, causing her to mockingly pout. "That's not fair, you knew that I'd let my guard down you prat. Oh, I found something else while I was there and I think you might want it." She pulled the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book from behind her back and gave it to Harry with a shrug. "It's quite useful and I don't really care too much about you using it now. It's just a mark in the end, and the important part is that the notes in here can help us."

Harry shrugged himself and took the book, accepting the peace offering for what it was. Though neither of them had ever brought it up, the incident with that very same book the previous year had caused problems between the two of them that still existed on some scale. Hermione's biggest problem with it, though she would never admit it, was that Harry did better than her in the class. She strived to be the very best at everything she did using nothing more than her own knowledge and it bothered her that Harry did better than her using someone else's notes. When she saw the book it finally occurred to her though that Harry didn't really care about the marks and all that mattered to him was brewing an exceptional potion. There was no reason for him to ignore what were obviously superior instructions to the book and he would readily admit that Hermione was better than him.

"Thank you 'Mione. I know how hard it must've been for you to give this back. For what it's worth, I am sorry about last year." Hermione quickly waved off his apology.

"It's not really your fault. You tried to tell me about it but I didn't want to pay attention to anything that wasn't in the book. You really shouldn't have tried using spells that you didn't know though. I think that's what bothered me more than anything else." Harry nodded, agreeing with her completely, and started walking out of the room with her and Ron. Back in the hallway, Harry pulled the map back out and signaled that the way back to the Gryffindor common room was clear. The three of them made it back without further incident, where the Head Boy and Girl used the fireplace to Floo back to Grimmauld Place.

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><p>Harry stumbled as he came out of the fireplace at Grimmauld Place, only for Hermione to grab him and help him stay on his feet. He thanked her and put the diadem and the book down on the kitchen table before grabbing two butterbeers from the refrigerator. He handed one of the drinks to his girlfriend and sat down at the table himself, staring at the diadem the entire time. Hermione could sense how troubled he felt and sat down beside him, raising her bottle to her lips as she did.<p>

"What's on your mind sweetheart? I know that something's bothering you, so there's no point in trying to deny it."

"I wasn't going to, but it's no real big deal I guess. I just don't like that we have to destroy relics of the Founders in order to defeat Voldmort. I know there's nothing else we can do, since Dumbledore told us the Horcruxes have to be damaged beyond magical repair, but I still don't like it. We're destroying part of Hogwarts' history and I hate that Voldemort cared that little about someplace that supposedly meant so much to him. It's just another example of how little he cares about anyone other than himself. As long as he's immortal, or as close to immortal as possible at least, no one else matters.

"I hate having to find these things too. I wish we could just fight him without having to worry about anything else, just us and the Death Eaters, me against him. It just goes to show how much of a coward he is. He's so afraid of death that he puts forth more effort into becoming immortal than he does into taking over. That's what the Death Eaters are for." Hermione started rubbing his back in an attempt to console him.

"I know honey, I hate it too, but there's not much else we can do. We both know that Voldemort's nothing but a coward but if we want to defeat him for good we need to destroy these Horcruxes. I wish there was another way, but we both know that there isn't. We have to defeat him Harry, and the only way to defeat him is to destroy these awful things." Harry nodded, still without looking at her. "Do you want me to destroy it?"

"No, that's alright 'Mione, I'll do it. I hate it so much, which is why I have to be the one destroy this one. I know it doesn't make much sense but I just can't bear to let anyone else do this. I can't let my hesitation force someone else's hand."

He rose from the table with the precious diadem and walked out of the room as Hermione followed him with her eyes. She understood exactly what he meant and it made perfect sense to her. In a way, he was trying to deaden himself to the idea of having to destroy yet another artifact of one of the Hogwarts Founders. Even more than that though, he was trying to prove to himself that, when the time came, he could do something he didn't want to. His last sentence was about more than just his hesitation with the Horcrux. They both knew that if he hesitated during his inevitable final battle with Voldemort that it would undoubtedly cost another innocent life. Harry was doing what he could now to prevent that hesitation when it was vital.

She couldn't help but sympathize with her boyfriend. She knew the pain he was feeling and so desperately wanted to take it away. Unfortunately, she knew that nothing would really take it away; sex would only postpone it at the most. This was something that Harry would have to get through on his own, but she would be there for him every step of the way. She couldn't help but wish that there was someone else that could be there for him though. Obviously Ron would be but he wasn't available anymore tonight and Harry needed someone now.

Hermione continued wracking her brain as she stared at the ring on her finger when an idea suddenly hit her. She focused her gaze on the Resurrection Stone and mulled the idea over in her brain. She was incredibly nervous, there was no doubt about that, and she wasn't sure how it would work out. In the end though, she decided that Harry's needs at the moment were more important than her hesitations and if she was right, it would be one of the best things she could ever do for him.

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><p>Harry was on the third floor of the house, holding Gryffindor's sword and he stared at the diadem he had placed on the sword. He knew that if he didn't destroy this foul <em>thing<em> that Voldemort would never be defeated, but he had a hard time bringing himself to do so. The very idea of it left a bitter taste in his mouth and he hated the notion. Hogwarts was his home, his _home_, and the very idea of doing something like this to the Founders wasn't an easy pill to swallow. He suddenly felt dirty as he continued to stare at the elaborate piece of jewelry.

For the first time in his life, he desperately wished he could cast the Killing Curse. After all, Dumbledore himself said that he would have be killed in order to neutralize the Horcrux in his head. Harry discarded the idea as quickly as he thought it though. The Horcrux had to be damaged beyond magical repair. That meant death for him, as nothing could truly raise the dead, but the Killing Curse wouldn't work on an inanimate object. The only means was to use the sword to destroy the beautiful work of art in front of him.

Harry steeled himself and raised the sword high above his head. The Horcrux within the diadem seemed to know its time was up and the object began viciously vibrating, almost as if it was going to jump up and attack Harry. He watched it, expecting it to leap at him any time and knowing he had only one option. Minutes passed and Harry continued to stand there with the sword over his head while the diadem continued vibrating. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally had the resolve to bring the weapon down on the Horcrux. When it hit, a shrill scream pierced the silence of the house and a ghostly figure rose from what remained of the diadem, not unlike what had happened when Ron destroyed the locket.

Still utterly disgusted with himself, Harry picked up the warped object, the diadem of arguably the most intelligent Witch to ever be at Hogwarts, and made his way back downstairs. Looking back on it he really had no idea why he had chosen the third floor to carry this out. Maybe he wanted to give himself time to mentally prepare for it, or maybe he wanted to make sure this really was the only way. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter anymore. The Horcrux was destroyed, Harry felt terrible, and Voldemort was one step closer to finally being mortal again. Perhaps this was Voldemort's plan all along, Harry scathingly thought. Perhaps he wanted to make whoever tried to destroy the Horcruxes so demoralized that they had no fight left in them in the end.

That was a stupid thought to have though. Voldemort believed himself to be superior, that few others knew about Horcruxes and he alone knew about his Horcruxes. It was a belief that would ultimately be his undoing, which admittedly did provide Harry with a small amount of comfort. At least he knew that his actions, though still incredibly vile in his mind, served some purpose. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted upon hearing voices in the kitchen, voices that didn't belong to Hermione. He didn't hear anyone else come in, and he knew that Grimmauld Place was safe from those who didn't know the Secret, so he couldn't help but wonder who it was, not to mention how long he'd actually been up on the third floor. Though he knew they were safe, otherwise Hermione wouldn't be waiting on him, he kept a firm grip on the wand at his side as he crept along the hall. The sight that greeted him in the kitchen was honestly probably the last one he ever expected to see.

"Yeah he's on the third floor destroying one of the Horcruxes Mrs. Potter. I expect him to be down any minute-oh! Hey sweetheart. I thought this might help you feel a little better." Harry could only stare in disbelief as he saw his parents and Sirius standing around the table Hermione was still sitting at. Tears welled up in his eyes but he brushed them away.

"How-the Stone!" The look on Harry's face changed from disbelief to horrified in a matter of seconds. "'Mione what about the story? The woman was beyond upset at being torn from her resting place. I don't want to be happy if it means that they're depressed." Hermione smiled despite the circumstance. Harry was always thinking about others and putting himself last. This was one time though that both she and her parents agreed he needed to put himself first.

"Don't worry Harry. The woman in that story was brought here against her will and kept around for the man's own selfish desires. I'm not that selfish and I know you aren't either."

"We want to be here sweetheart," Lily spoke up before Hermione could go any further. "We weren't upset about being brought here in the first place and when your lovely girlfriend explained to us what you're going through, we wanted to stay for a while and help you."

"We're proud of you son," James told Harry, who was beginning to well up again. "Despite everything you've been through, you still give without any thought of reward and you're willing to do the hard things no one else is. You're the man we hoped you'd turn out to be and we couldn't ask for a better son."

"Yeah, it's nice to see you've been keeping things going down here since I've been gone," Sirius added, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I thought things would go to hell without me to keep everyone serious and focused." Harry and Hermione both snorted while James laughed and Lily gave them both a humorous look. "And it's good to see that you and Hermione are finally together. Damn it, if I was still alive Tonks would owe me two Galleons. Fuck!"

"Language!" Lily told him. "Honestly, I don't know how these two ever put up with you Sirius."

"Well it wasn't that fucking hard Mum," Harry said as he sat down, apparently accepting that the three of them were happy with being there for the time being. He sat the remains of the diadem and the sword on the table while Lily looked at him incredibly. When Hermione didn't say anything, the older woman turned her gaze to her instead.

"You don't mind him saying that Hermione? Based on what I know about you, I find it difficult to believe that you'd condone that kind of language." Hermione giggled and laced her fingers with Harry's.

"Truth be told, being with Harry has changed me quite a bit. I'm a lot more calm now. Honestly, I would say I'm worse than he is about language. Ron still has both of us beat though I think." Harry nodded and Hermione took the opportunity to point out the elephant in the room. "So it's done then?" She jerked her head towards the diadem, though it wasn't necessary.

"Unfortunately," Harry sighed. "I still wish there was another way to get rid of the Horcrux without completely destroying the container. It's a disgrace to the Founders' memories."

"I understand how you feel son," James piped up. "We're often called upon to do things we don't like but what defines us isn't that we do these things, it's how we handle them. You're taking this harder than most because Hogwarts means more to you than most, but the most important thing is that you care. You get no pleasure from doing this and you realize the implications, both good and bad, behind destroying these objects. It shows that you understand that these objects belong to more than just you."

"Thanks Dad," Harry replied with only a touch of sadness to his voice. It surprised them all that he had referred to James as his father so easily. It was in that moment that Harry truly realized that his parents and Sirius were in the room with him and he instantly felt better than he ever had. Even though he knew that they weren't his actual parents, merely the memory of them, it was more than he ever hoped for in his life. For a short time, his family was with him. Lily could see the emotion in her son's eyes and decided to capitalize on it.

"So tell me how you met Hermione sweetheart." Harry looked at Hermione and smiled thinking about that day.

"She came into my compartment on the way to Hogwarts for the first time, asking if we'd seen a toad. We didn't become friends until a couple months later though. On Halloween there was a troll in the school and Ron and I went to save her. I might've ended up being held upside down while Ron actually saved her."

"You're the one who really risked your neck though," Hermione said as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He favored her with a small smile as thanks and the adults used the opportunity to press the teens even further about their relationship. The rest of the night was spent on casual conversations, embarrassing stories, humor, and a general family atmosphere. It was, by far, the best night Harry had ever had in his entire life.


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: I want to address two things I forgot to mention in my last post. First of all, I know it may be sudden that Harry destroyed two Horcruxes in two chapters but that's the last Horcrux we'll see for quite a while. I'm not going to make them a big deal because there are more important elements to this story. Second of all, a guest review pointed out that Harry's doing too much and they're absolutely right. I wrote it that way on purpose. Harry wants to be involved in everything, and he always has been up until this point. The difference is, now he's taking on more than he can handle and it's spreading him too thin. He has to learn to let some of the others take responsibility and help him out. So for those of you who also think that he's doing too much, that's going to change here in a few chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Ashes of the Innocent<strong>

_"We will take back Hogsmeade and show the public that we are still to be feared by them."_

"Ginny you know you don't need to think this hard about this. We've already been in several fights with Harry and we all have an idea of our dueling style."

"I know that Ron but he made a good point yesterday. How often do any of us actually think about the way we duel? Even Voldemort has a style he prefers, though he probably doesn't think about it." Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were all sitting at the Gryffindor table, discussing their different dueling styles as Harry told them. It seemed that Ginny had been particularly inspired and she had been thinking about it ever since the DA meeting. She found herself thinking about the dueling styles of the other three as well and comparing them with her own.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Harry had been correct when he said that a person's dueling style is an extension of their personality. Ron liked to have fun and joke around but could definitely be serious and invested when the situation called for it; his dueling style reflected his serious side and he took it even further, being even more aggressive than Harry and even downright vicious at times. Neville, who had now gained the confidence he had sorely been lacking, portrayed that in his duels, choosing to stay on the offensive at almost all times and not give his opponent a chance to breath. Luna, being who she was, was very unpredictable during her duels. It wasn't unusual for her to use spells that no one would even consider one minute and then rapidly throw a series of dangerous combat spells the next. Ginny herself tended to take a calm approach and wait for her opponent to make a mistake before capitalizing on it.

"Ginny does make a good point Ronald," Luna said in defense of her friend. "Harry wants everyone in the DA to think about our individual dueling styles and he probably expects more from us. I doubt he would believe me if I told him that you were suffering from wrackspurts and couldn't think properly." Ginny smiled at Luna, thankful for her friend standing up for her. She was really very happy that her Ravenclaw friend was in a relationship with her brother now, as the two balanced each other out. Luna was one of only three girls, Hermione and Ginny being the other two, to stand up to Ron when he lost his temper, which had resulted in him being generally calmer. Ron acted as an anchor for Luna and, though she still trusted in her odd beliefs, she was less eccentric about them. The oddest part about the two of them was that they had a great deal in common, despite what first glance might suggest.

"You might as well accept it mate," Neville piped up. "Both Ginny and Luna are opposing you and I've got to side with them. We know that you've been training and practicing with Harry and Hermione but it would still be beneficial for you to step back and look at yourself. You know that Harry and Hermione are doing the same thing, otherwise they wouldn't have told us to. If we're going to be fighting the Death Eaters then we need to be prepared, because you know they will be." Ron glowered at his friend but he knew the other boy was right.

"Alright fine, you lot win. I'll think about how I duel and what I can do better. Happy now?" Luna kissed him on the cheek.

"I am." Ron looked at her to see a very serious look on her face. One thing he loved about her was that she knew when to be serious and she acted accordingly. "I'm glad you're taking this seriously because you're in the thick of the fighting along with Harry and Hermione. You need this more than anyone else here right now. I'm glad to know that I won't have to worry about you because you're too stubborn to properly prepare." Ron gave her a pointed look and kissed her forehead.

"You won't have to worry, I'll be alright. I'm taking this very seriously. I won't let something happen to me just because I was too stupid to be ready." His words lightened her and Luna gave him a bright smile. She went back to eating without saying anything else about the subject and Ginny and Neville were smart enough to change the topic. They all knew that things were bad enough without dwelling on everything.

The first thing that popped into Neville's mind as he thought about the four of them sitting together was how things had changed due to, and most likely because of, Harry and Hermione's absence. He thought that the four of them might drift apart without the Head Boy and Girl to hold them together but he was pleasantly surprised to discover that they held together just fine. The ironic part about it was that things most likely wouldn't have played out like this if Harry and Hermione were still there. He and Ginny may still have gotten together but it wouldn't have been until later. While they did have some interaction over the summer, things didn't really take off until they were able to spend time together at Hogwarts. He knew that Ron and Luna would be together, since they lived near each other and most likely had spent a good amount of time together during their time away from the castle, but she probably wouldn't be eating with them right now. It was strange to Neville how two people's presence could bring them all together and then the absence of those same two people brought them even closer.

"Does this seem odd to any of you?" he asked, voicing his thoughts. The other three looked at him, clearly confused as to what he was talking about. "I didn't think we would sitting here like this without Harry and Hermione here. They're the ones who brought us together in the first place and I thought we'd drift apart without them here. Instead, we've gotten even closer in their absence. It just seems a bit odd." The other three looked at each other with similar thoughts in their mind but it was Ron who decided to voice them.

"Neville, after we went to the Department of Mysteries in fifth year we formed a bond between the six of us, Harry and Hermione included of course, that lasts even when some of us aren't here. Did we always talk to each other last year? Of course not, we all had different schedules, but that affection and camaraderie was still there. Harry was really the person who brought us all together, we all gravitated around him in some form, but we've become friends on our own. Harry has a way of bringing people together, as we've seen this year with the Houses, and once he's brought us together, we tend to stay together even without him. Hermione once told me that Harry has this awful habit of making people into who they really want to be. The four of us are evidence of that."

Ginny and Luna both nodded at his words, unexpected though it might have been. While they both loved Ron in their own way, he wasn't well known for a deep, philosophical thinker. Nevertheless, what he just said was absolutely true and they all knew it. Harry had originally brought them all together, but nothing was going to tear them apart.

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><p>Harry was still having trouble believing the events of the previous night. Not only had they destroyed another Horcurx, bringing the total to four down and three to go, he had been able to spend time with his parents and Sirius. Though they weren't actually alive, it had only been their shadows that he spoke with, it didn't take away from his elation. For the first time in several weeks, he had gotten an actual good night's sleep.<p>

"I still can't believe that you did that 'Mione," he exclaimed for what seemed like the thousandth time. Hermione smiled beside him as she squeezed his hand affectionately. She knew that any trepidation he felt about pulling them from the afterlife evaporated as soon as the three of them began talking to him, and now his disbelief was his way of thanking her. She was more than happy to do it for him too; he was more at ease than she'd seen him in almost two months.

"You're welcome sweetheart, but how many more times are you going to thank me?"

"As many as it takes for you to know how grateful I am." Harry's response was accompanied by pulling her closer to him and kissing her. It was a chaste kiss, given the environment they found themselves in, but it held promises of what was to come. "It's too bad they can't stay with us all the time though," he added as they broke apart again.

"Well we can always bring them back. As long as we don't overuse the Stone and they actually want to be here and visit, then it shouldn't be a problem to bring them back on occasion." Harry's face lit up even more but before either of them could continue their pleasant conversation, they heard a very unwelcome sound.

"_Hem, hem_." Harry closed his eyes at the annoying, hated sound, wishing the person who said it would simple cease to exist, or at least go away. He knew he didn't have that kind of luck though and turned slowly turned around to face the Headmistress. "I believe that public displays of affection are forbidden." Harry glared at the short woman and Hermione gave her a look of pure hatred as they dropped their hands. "That's better. Now can either of you explain to me why you've been giving unfair punishments to members of the Inquisitor Squad?"

"We've given no one a punishment that they haven't deserved," Harry flatly responded. "I don't care what they told you, the members of the Inquisitor Squad deserved everything they've been given. We don't punish people just because we don't like them. That's not our job and it's a complete misuse of power."

"That's something the Inquisitor Squad doesn't care about," Hermione continued. "They take away points from anyone who they feel like, which is pretty much anyone they don't like, for the slightest reason. Parkinson once tried to take away points from Lavender Brown for breathing too hard. We don't give detentions or take points without an actual good reason. Hell, the Slytherin Prefects agree with the punishments we've given."

"That's because they have no loyalty to their House," Umbridge challenged. "The Inquisitor Squad has assured me that they don't do anything to abuse their power, they're simply trying to bring the troublemakers to justice."

"Oh so they're like you." Harry's response was dripping with sarcasm but Umbridge didn't seem to notice. "Taking points because someone is breathing too loud or because their hair isn't combed? Does that sound like bringing people to justice to you? And I know what you're going to say Professor, that the only thing you have to go on is our word and that we don't like them anyway, but we're not the only ones who know what they've done. Why don't you go ask other people what happened before you automatically assume that they're innocent? Now if you'll excuse us, we have a class to get to."

Umbridge watched the Head Boy and Girl walk off with a stunned look on her face. It was true that she didn't like Potter, she never had since he first started making trouble for Cornelius Fudge, but she couldn't deny the passion in his and Granger's words. Not only that, they had specifically told her to ask other students what happened, which they wouldn't do if they were worried that their story would be contradicted. She couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that the Inquisitor Squad was abusing their power and actually making things worse. Not that she really cared about that of course, she knew that even if that was the case that the other students deserved it, but it wouldn't do for the information to make its way outside of Hogwarts.

Just as the thought entered her mind though, Umbridge shook it off. She knew that none of the students liked the Inquisitor Squad and that it wouldn't be too outlandish to believe that Potter and Granger had been spreading lies. It was easy to believe things when everyone already wanted to believe them, so most students would be gullible enough to believe the tales being spun about her Squad. It was nothing to concern herself with, just more gossip that was being spread through the halls.

Still, there was power behind such gossip if enough people believed it, especially when those responsible for it were two of the most popular and respected students in the entire school. Even most of the other teachers seemed to respect and admire Potter and Granger, and none of them tried to hide that they were fond of the two teens. Doing anything to them now though would cause more backlash than she was prepared to handle. She would have to bide her time and wait until they slipped up before properly punishing them. She was confident that she would eventually be able to turn everyone against the Head Boy and Girl, and when that happened, she would finally be in control of the entire school.

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><p>Seven-thirty that same night found Harry and Hermione watching something on the television in Grimmauld Place. Today had been a very rare day for them: neither had pressing homework to do, there was no Quidditch practice, there wasn't a DA meeting, and nothing had happened at school that demanded their attention. The only thing they really had to do was attend an Order meeting in about thirty minutes. They had used this rare free time, the first time in over a month actually, to literally do nothing important.<p>

After their classes were over for the day, Harry had taken a trip into Diagon Alley to get a new tattoo. Under his Hogwarts crest, he added a tattoo of the Gryffindor crest. It wasn't what Hermione was expecting, she thought he was going to get something bigger and more exotic, but it looked great. As soon as he returned to the house, Harry had taken his shirt off to supposedly keep the ink from running, though Hermione knew that he just wanted to show it off. That also may have been the initial reason for him laying down with his head in her lap but that plan was abandoned as soon as he turned the television on.

At the present moment, Harry was actively watching the show on television, some old black and white movie, while Hermione was reading a book as she ran her fingers through his hair. Admittedly she had admired his tattoo but she hadn't called attention to it, noticing that he seemed to be absorbed in the movie and didn't want to bother him. Whoever put the ink on his skin was an exceptionally talented artist. The detail that was poured into was nothing short of amazing.

Oddly enough, despite the detailed tattoo, Hermione's focus was on her boyfriend's hair. As she ran her hands through it, she couldn't help but notice how long it had become. The more she thought about the more she realized that it seemed to be slightly neater and more manageable now. It was strange to include the words manageable and neat in the same sentence when talking about Harry's hair, but this was one time that it was true. It didn't exactly take a genius to realize how it had happened either. As his hair grew longer and more weight was added to it, it started to somewhat straighten on its own and the end result was that it slightly hung down instead of looking like a nest. It was still thick of course, but that was a fair tradeoff as far as Hermione was concerned.

"How long has it been since you've had your hair cut Harry?" the young Witch asked. If she searched her brain she would know the answer to her question but she didn't feel like doing so at the moment. She was far too interested in her book to think about something that Harry most likely knew off the top of his head.

"About the beginning of August I think, so four months ago. Why, you don't like it?" He looked up at her with a look of trepidation on his face, hoping that she wasn't going to tell him that she preferred his hair shorter. It was down to the middle of his eyes now and he personally was very happy with it. It wasn't nearly as untidy as it used to be and, as much as he hated to admit it, it actually felt a lot better. He would never openly say it, even to Hermione, but he loved how much softer it felt now.

"On the contrary, I like it very much," Hermione replied, still not looking up from her book. "It's easier to run my fingers through now that it's neater." At this point, she finally looked away from her book and gave Harry a warm, sensuous smile that promised more to come later that night. He returned the smile and squeezed the hand that was holding her book. They stayed that way for a minute before returning to their previous activities, acting like nothing had happened between them.

The two only had about another five minutes together before people started showing up for the meeting. Ron, Tonks, and Ginny were the first three to arrive and they all wanted to see the new tattoo as soon as they stepped into the kitchen. They had barely finished admiring it when Remus joined them, soon followed by most of the other members. The meeting was underway by eight o'clock, as it had happened every meeting like clockwork since Harry took over.

"The first thing I want to make note of is Dolores Umbridge," Harry began as soon as the meeting started. "Just earlier today Hermione and I had an encounter with her that was proof of her actively protecting Malfoy and his friends. Two of these friend, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, are sons of Death Eaters and of course we all know that Malfoy himself is Voldemort's right hand now. We're not sure why she's so set with protecting them but it puts the rest of the students in danger. She believes her position gives her the right to do whatever she wants and to hell with everyone else.

"Hermione, Ron, and myself have all been talking about it, and we believe it's possible that Umbridge may be a Death Eater now herself. She definitely supports Voldemort's idea of blood purity, we all already knew that, and she seems willing to do anything to promote that idea. What really makes me suspicious though is that she always seems to know more than she lets on, and not just about what's happening at Hogwarts. We know for a fact that she knows Malfoy is a Death Eater, even if she won't admit it, and he wouldn't freely show off his Mark to her, or anyone else if he was smart. So you have to wonder where and how she's getting all her information. It could just be coincidence and there could always be some other possibility, but it makes sense that she's a Death Eater.

"If she is then we'll need to somehow expose her before we can act against her. She's in a very unique position, as the Headmistress at Hogwarts she constantly has eyes on her, so we have to be careful."

"Why can't we just go on and kill her?" Brian Levington suddenly asked. "If you believe that she's a Death Eater, why not go on and kill her and show everyone her Dark Mark? Then there wouldn't be the problem of killing an 'innocent.'"

"And what if she's not a Death Eater?" It wasn't Harry but rather Ron who answered the older man's question. "If she's not a Death Eater then there won't be any explanation for her suddenly vanishing. Like Harry said, she's too much in the public eye for people not to notice and if there's not a good reason for her death then how will it look, especially if it ever gets out that the Order killed her? Right now people look to us for leadership and to do the things they can't do, but you know that they won't think that anymore if we kill someone who's truly innocent."

"I'm sorry, I believe I was talking to Mr. Potter, the leader of our organization, not his best friend. I know he might share a lot with you but that doesn't mean you can decide to speak for him."

"Mind your tongue Levington." This time it was Sophia Arnell, oddly enough, who came to the rescue of both Ron and Harry. Though Harry was obviously surprised, he continued to let things unfold, knowing that otherwise there would be a lot of unresolved tension between them. "What does it matter who answered you as long as you get your answer? I'm sure that Mr. Potter would have told you the same thing, and he was probably about to before you interrupted him. As you pointed out, Ronald is Mr. Potter's best friend and Hermione is his girlfriend so it makes sense that they would already know these things, especially when it involves their school. Besides, if Mr. Potter had a problem with Ronald answering for him, I'm sure he would have said something about it instead of letting him continue. Be glad that someone answered you instead of chastising you for interrupting."

"Thank you Sophia, I couldn't have said it better myself," Harry said when it was clear the older Witch was finished talking. "And Ron's absolutely right Brian. If Umbridge is a Death Eater and we kill her without actual proof, that's great, no one doubts us and we've rid Voldemort of another of his followers. If it turns out that she isn't though, then we have a lot to answer for. We'll have killed someone who doesn't seemingly have anything to do with Voldemort or the war and just makes the lives of her students miserable. We all know that she isn't innocent, even if she's not actually a Death Eater, but it'll be hard to convince others without actually proof. I'm afraid in this case, the word of nearly two hundred and fifty students who say that she gives detentions for no real reason won't work.

"The ideal situation for us would be to have her reveal to everyone herself that she's a Death Eater. Then we could use that to our advantage and justify eliminating her, especially if she shows the Mark in Hogwarts to try and scare some of the students. Not only would it prove that she's a Death Eater, it would show her true colors against the students and most parents would support anything that ends with her removal from the school."

"That's assuming that she does have the Mark though Harry," Hermione spoke up. "I still say it's possible, given the position she's in, that she may not have the tattoo. If Voldemort doesn't want someone to accidentally find out that the Headmistress at Hogwarts is a Death Eater, then it's possible he wouldn't put the Mark on her. Of course it's also possible, and more likely, that if she is accidentally discovered, Voldemort will blame her whether or not she has the Mark, claiming that she should've been more careful. Either way, it's a possibility that she doesn't have the Mark even if she is a Death Eater."

"Alright that's something to keep in mind then, but the situation is still the same: we need to get her to reveal that she is a Death Eater. And we need to have more than one person bear witness to it so that there's no room for error, so that no one can claim that one of us just made it up. Ideally we could push her to reveal her Mark to us, if she has one, or to just come right out and say that she's a Death Eater. We need to come up with ideas of how to do that though. Since whatever happens will likely have an impact on the students, I want Hermione and Ron to help me with this more than anyone else. Ginny," everyone turned to the back of the room when he said the young redhead's name, "I know you're not part of the Order, but I hope you, Luna, and Neville will help us too." She scoffed and nodded, letting him know that he didn't even have to ask for their support. Harry returned the nod and was obviously going to continue with the meeting before Mad-Eye spoke up.

"Hold on Potter, there's something else we need to discuss. Ever since our assault on Yaxley's manor, they've been strangely quiet. Other than a few quick, albeit lethal, attacks against Muggles and Muggle-borns, they haven't done anything lately. It's almost as if our actions took the life out of them, but we all know that You-Know-Who doesn't just let something like that go. He has to be planning something, something big to make sure that people know they should still fear him. We need to know what that is, especially since you can almost guarantee that it's going to be something particularly nasty."

"That's a good point Mad-Eye, I'm glad you brought it up. Honestly I've been preoccupied with Umbridge lately and I didn't even think about that. Professor Snape, I'll need you to find out whatever you can after the meeting's over." Snape nodded once and Harry continued on with the meeting, pushing thoughts of what Voldemort could be planning to the back of his mind for now.

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><p>At Malfoy Manor, several of the more recent additions to the Death Eater ranks were standing around talking to each other, all with rather solemn looks on their faces. They had been talking for nearly an hour and had all reached the same conclusion: this wasn't the glorious fighting they thought they would be doing before joining Voldemort. All of them were under the assumption that Voldemort fought against people who could fight back against him, not those who were helpless to defend themselves. While they agreed with his idea of blood purity, they thought that mindlessly slaughtering those who couldn't fight back was low.<p>

"I honestly didn't expect to be randomly killing Muggles," a middle-age man was saying. "I expected to be ruling over them and Muggle-borns, but I didn't think we would actually be killing them unless they gave us a reason to."

"I didn't either," a younger man replied. "I completely agree with the Dark Lord's idea for the pure-bloods to rule, after all we are better than everyone else, but there's a difference between ruling and killing for sport. Our fight is with the people who oppose us, not those who can't do anything against us. What exactly have they done to deserve to be slaughtered like that? They've done nothing to deserve it, they're innocent."

"No they're not innocent," a new voice returned. Draco Malfoy walked out of the shadows and joined the group. He looked at them menacingly before continuing, "they ceased to be innocent the minute they were born. They threaten our way of life and you call them innocent? Every year, we lose more and more influence to these mudbloods, these people who know nothing about our way of life and still have the audacity to try and change it. We, the purebloods, are solely responsible for our society and yet they are the ones who go about changing everything. Mudbloods attempt to take our livelihood away and Muggles are the ones who make this able to happen. Neither of them are innocent."

"Who are you to speak for the Dark Lord Malfoy?" another man demanded. "You may be his right hand but that doesn't mean that you have the right to speak for him. That doesn't mean that you know what's in his mind anymore than the rest of us." Before the man could say another word, Malfoy pointed his wand at him and muttered the word _crucio_. Immediately, the man fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. Malfoy held the spell for several minutes before finally releasing him, though it take several more minutes before he shakily made his way back to his feet.

"Who am I to speak for the Dark Lord?" Malfoy repeated the man's question, his eyes burning into them all. "I am his right hand. He tells me more than he tells all of you combined. I am an extension of his arm and my words are the same as if he said them. He trusts me to say and do what he would, so know that everything I say is the same as if the Dark Lord himself spoke the words. Now, we're going to have a meeting with him in about five minutes so I suggest you all get in the dining room and take your seats." The other Death Eaters immediately listened to Malfoy and made their way to the large table they usually used for their meetings. In exactly five minutes, Voldemort arrived and took his place at the head of the table with Malfoy at his immediate right.

"Two weeks ago, a group of you met in secret at Yaxley's manor. I still don't why know why and I honestly don't care. What I do care about is that the Order of the Phoenix attacked this group, killed ten of my followers, injured seven, and the REST OF YOU RAN AWAY!" The last part of Voldemort's speech was screamed out at everyone at the table and most of them flinched with fear. "YOU LET THE ORDER MAKE FOOLS OF YOU AND THEN YOU RAN!"

"My lord, we didn't have a choice," Yaxley began, hoping to appeal to what little remained of Voldemort's sense of reason. "If we had stayed, they would have killed or hurt all of us and we would look even more foolish."

"NEVER CALL LORD VOLDEMORT A FOOL YAXLEY! YOU DID HAVE A CHOICE, ALL OF YOU! YOU COULD HAVE STAYED AND FOUGHT AS ONE AND USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEAL A MAJOR BLOW TO THE ORDER! INSTEAD YOU FOUGHT BY YOURSELVES AND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED!" Without warning, Voldemort pointed his wand at Yaxley and the blonde Death Eater fell under the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. His spasms quickly caused him to fall out of his chair and onto the floor even as Voldemort continued to apply the curse. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the spell was released and the other Death Eaters helped Yaxley back into his seat. Though Yaxley had suffered, it seemed to calm Voldemort down somewhat and the others breathed a little easier.

"Fortunately, this incident was not without its advantages. I see now that none of you can work together as a team when things get too serious. That's why the Ministry and the Order keep making fools out of you and taking away our fear: they can and do work together. It's time to fix this, starting tomorrow night. A group that I will handpick will attack Hogsmeade, with Malfoy leading you. We will take back Hogsmeade and show the public that we are still to be feared by them. If you don't succeed in this attempt, I will kill all of you. Yaxley, I want you to stay. The rest of you are dismissed."

The other Death Eaters left the room as soon as they possibly could, leaving Yaxley sitting by himself with a fearful expression on his face. Voldemort waited until the last person had left before beginning to address the man.

"Yaxley, why were you at your manor holding a secret meeting with your fellow Death Eaters?" Yaxley took a deep breath, having prepared for this conversation two weeks ago. He knew better than others that the Dark Lord wouldn't just let something like that go.

"We were discussing some of the younger Death Eaters my lord, and how they don't seem to want the same things we do. They believe in the purity of our blood and they believe in your cause, but they don't want to do the things necessary to bring your vision to light. We were sure you knew about this but we wondered if we should say something to you about it."

"I do know about it. Why would you debate about telling Lord Voldemort?"

"We weren't sure if it was something we should waste your time on something that you already know or if we should have done something about it ourselves. In the end we decided that since you know what kind of people these men are, and you let them stay with you despite that, that we would respect what you're doing and just leave things as they are." Voldemort closed his eyes at Yaxley's words and took several deep breaths.

"Your loyalty and respect has saved you Yaxley," the Dark Lord told him when he opened his eyes back up. "If anything like this happens again though, you will die. You do not question Lord Voldemort. You should know that by now.

"Now leave, and prepare for tomorrow night. You will be one of the men attacking Hogsmeade, acting as Draco's right hand. I want you to show him how to lead. I want people to die tomorrow night, for the world to be reminded that we are still as powerful as we've always been. And Yaxley, if this doesn't succeed, I'm going to hold you personally responsible for it. You will suffer both your fate and Draco's. All of your loyalty and respect won't mean anything then." Yaxley's face completely drained of color and he quickly left the table, leaving Voldemort by himself to contemplate the actions of his followers.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: To the guest who pointed out that Harry's doing too much, you're right when you say that he's still juggling too much but as I said, change takes time, especially in Harry's case to let others take some of the weight off his shoulders. You're also right when you say that something bad is going to happen, though it may not be exactly what you expect. To the guest who said to kill Draco in this chapter, sorry but that won't be coming anytime soon. Malfoy is too important of a character to kill off right now. To the guest who pointed out that guns aren't as easy to use as television makes out, I definitely know that. I grew up with guns too, I believe I shot my first gun when I was six, and you can't just pick them up and pull the trigger, which is one reason why I chose not to have the Grangers use them. On a random side note, when typing the title for this chapter I learned that computers actually recognize "thunderstruck" as a word, which really pleases me.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, though I really wish I did.**

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><p><span><strong>Thunderstruck<strong>

_"Either way, we're not going to walk out of Hogsmeade unscathed."_

Night was just beginning to settle over the quiet village of Hogsmeade. Most everyone was either in their homes for the night or at one of the pubs enjoying time with friends or drinking to forget the problems of the world. Everyone was well aware of the war and the danger Voldemort presented, they would have to be fools not to, but most people weren't as afraid of him anymore, nor were they going to let him have so much influence over their lives. It was an unspoken agreement between them that they all believed in Harry Potter and knew that he would eventually make things safe for them again. The peaceful existence they lived was about to be shattered however.

Multiple pops suddenly sounded out, most too quiet to be heard, as the Death Eaters arrived to carry out their plan. The last two to arrive were Yaxley closely followed by Malfoy. At a nod from Voldemort's right hand the others started their assault. They set off in five groups of four, setting fire to houses and buildings. Anyone who tried to stop them were cut down without hesitation or remorse, if only because the Death Eaters themselves were afraid of what would happen if they failed. As the others went about their task, Malfoy strode into the Three Broomsticks flanked by Yaxley and three others. He immediately fired off a Killing Curse that hit a random patron.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he spoke when everyone turned to look at him. "I hope you don't mind but we're tonight's entertainment. Well, more specifically, you're the entertainment for us, and we're all going to have some fun." Before he could say another word, someone sent a Stunning Spell to Malfoy that he easily dodged, causing his cheery demeanor to instantly change into the cold fury that his master was so well-known for. "If you're going to try to attack someone better than you, you need to make it count. Here, let me show you how it's done. _Avada Kadevra_!" The spell hit the woman in her chest and she slumped over in her seat, all signs of life instantly vanishing.

"Now that you all see how serious we are, you can either get the fuck out of here or you can stay while we burn it down. You should consider yourselves lucky that you're even getting this opportunity from me. My master isn't nearly as generous as I am and you know damn well that he wouldn't give you the same chance. So what's it going to be? I give you my word that none of us will attack you if you flee, but that is the only guarantee I will make. You had best decide quickly though. I don't have much time and I don't want to be in here any longer than I want to."

"It doesn't matter what you promise us," a new voice said. Malfoy turned and looked at the source of the voice: Madam Rosmerta, the landlady of the pub. "You didn't say that we won't be attacked after we leave. So we either stay and burn to death or we flee and get tortured and possibly killed by the rest of you outside. Either way, we're not going to walk out of Hogsmeade unscathed. And I'm not going to let my pub be burned down by any of you."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed at her words, seemingly upset that the older Witch had been able to see through his ruse so easily. His trademark smirk suddenly appeared on his though as he walked towards the curvy woman. Yaxley and the others continued to flank him with their wands up and at the ready, acting as honor guards. None of them knew what the young Death Eater was planning but they didn't want to risk asking him either; Malfoy had made it clear over the past several weeks that he could be just as ruthless as Voldemort.

"Ah Rosmerta, it's a shame I don't still have you under the Imperius Curse." The blonde Witch's eyes widened in shock at the revelation of who was controlling her the previous year was finally revealed to her. "Now I could put you under it again, but that just wouldn't be any fun now would it?" At this point he stood mere inches before her and looked down at her as he started rubbing her arm. "Think of the fun we could have without you being under my control." Rosmerta immediately understood his implication and hit the young Death Eater hard in his chest, intending to create space between them. The only thing she did was succeed in knocking Malfoy back a few more inches.

"Well it looks like you've got a bit of fight in you. Normally I'd like that but, as I already said, I'm in a bit of a hurry right now. Since I don't have time for games, I'm going to have to do something else." With a wave of his wand, the young Death Eater conjured ropes that wound themselves around Rosmerta. Satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere for the time being, he turned his attention to the others in the pub and attacked them with the other four men. Once the place was cleared out of everyone but Malfoy and Rosmerta, he turned back to her with an evil, sadistic smile on his face. The owner of the Three Broomsticks began screaming as the young man walked back to her.

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><p>Harry and Hermione were sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place enjoying their breakfast before they had to go off to Hogwarts for the day. Fridays always seemed to end up as relatively good days for them, and today was starting out as no exception. They were making light conversation over something that had happened in Snape's class the previous day when the fire roared to life and turned green. By this point, they were both so used to this happening that they barely faltered in their conversation. They expected it to be either Ron, Tonks, or Remus, but the voice they heard was so surprising that it was enough to make them stop eating.<p>

"Harry, you've got to come quick," Professor McGonagall rapidly told him, bypassing all formal greetings. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, both somewhat concerned. Neither of them had ever seen the older Witch in this state before. She was always so calm and collected that seeing her acting otherwise was cause for alarm. Nevertheless, Harry did his best to remain in control of the situation and hopefully calm his Transfiguration teacher down.

"Calm down, Minerva, we'll deal with whatever the problem is. Here, have some breakfast and tell us what's wrong."

"Aberforth sent Severus and myself a message this morning. The Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade last night." Harry's fork fell through his fingers and clattered back onto the plate, the piece of sausage on the end flying off to some unknown spot on the floor.

"How bad?"

"He said that close to two-thirds of the place was burned down, including the Three Broomsticks. Nearly half the inhabitants were killed. It was grisly. The ones who tried to fight back were killed instantly and the ones who didn't escape were tortured and most of them were killed too."

"That sounds too brutal for a normal attack, even by their standards. Was Voldemort himself there?"

"No, that's what's most disturbing. Malfoy was the one who led the attack. Apparently he's become as ruthless and vicious as his master. There were twenty-five of them, including him, and they showed absolutely no remorse to anyone. Malfoy and Yaxley left last night but seven more arrived to take their place, bringing the total still there to thirty." Harry suddenly slammed his fist into the table, causing the plates to jump so violently that the food fell off them.

"FUCK! We should've had someone at least watching the village! I never dreamed that they would attack them now though, not after all this time. I'm not going to just take this lying down. 'Mione, send messages to everyone in the Order. Tell them what happened and that I'm going to drive them out of Hogsmeade for good this time and anyone who wants to join needs to meet up here. Minerva, it'd probably be best if both you and Severus stay at the castle, for obvious reasons."

"You know I'm going to help you get rid of them right?" Hermione asked as she conjured a Patronus.

"No you're not. I don't want you out there and risk you getting hurt."

"Harry, I'm in this too! I'm part of the damn Order and if I want to help rid Hogsmeade of those fucking bastards then I'm going to! I'm going whether you like it or not, and there's nothing you can say and no order you can give that'll stop me!" The two glared at each other for a few seconds before Harry scoffed.

"Fine, you can come if you want. We don't have time to argue about this. You and everyone else can join me outside Hogsmeade."

"Wait, what are you going to do then?"

"I'm going to go on to Hogsmeade myself. I'm not going to actually do anything right now, I just want to know exactly who and what we're up against. I'll use the Disillusionment Charm so they won't see me and get an idea of what we'll be going up against. I don't want to rush into there blind and risk anyone's life any more than necessary. Wait for me outside the village." Hermione nodded and sent her Patronus as Harry stepped into the fireplace and Flooed back to Hogwarts, followed closely by McGonagall.

As soon as he arrived in McGonagall's office, Harry wasted no time in putting himself under the Disillusionment Charm and heading off. He knew enough of the secret passages outside the castle by this point that he didn't need the Marauder's Map to know his way around and soon he was in one of the tunnels leading to Hogsmeade Village. The walk was no more than twenty minutes but to Harry, who was in hurry to get to his destination, it took forever. After what felt like several days, Harry finally made his way into the basement of Honeyduke's and cautiously made his way up the stairs. In his anxiety, he forgot that he was invisible and all he had to worry about was making too much noise.

Once he was on the first floor, Harry looked around for signs of people and found none, assuming that the owners had been killed by the Death Eaters. He took a moment to look for any signs of life outside. When he felt satisfied that there was no one around to see anything, he opened the door and quickly rushed outside. There had been no snowfall yet so he didn't have to worry about leaving footprints behind, though the leaves did lightly crunch as he stepped on them. He made his way further into the village, pausing occasionally to assess the Death Eaters he saw. What really captured his eye and made him completely stop was when he came to the door of the Three Broomsticks.

"Madam Rosmerta," Harry said sadly. The former owner of the pub was pinned to the wooden door, naked and heavily mutilated. Her once pretty features had been bruised and battered almost beyond recognition and her matted, bloody hair fell forward over her face. Her limbs had been cut from her body and were pinned less than an inch from their rightful spot, giving her the appearance of a grotesque jigsaw puzzle. The Dark Mark had been carved into her stomach with a knife, no doubt the one still sticking out of her chest. It was clearly a message and it served to enrage Harry all the more. He took one last look around before heading to the entrance of the village to meet up with everyone else.

The others were already there when Harry showed up and canceled his Disillusionment Charm. In addition to Hermione and Ron, Remus, Tonks, Brian Levington, Sophia Arnell, Fred, George, Hestia Jones, Dedalus Diggle, Aberforth, and Hagrid had all showed up. The fact that several of them, Tonks and the twins especially, were willing to leave their jobs so early in the morning told Harry how this attack affected each of them as well. It gave him a small amount of comfort to know that others shared in his rage.

"Alright, I counted thirty of them in various parts of them village, some patrolling, some seemingly guarding something or waiting for someone. There's thirteen of us, so they slightly more than double our number, but it's nothing we can't handle. I want everyone to pay attention and work together here. If you see any one of us in need of help then do your best to help-" Harry didn't get to finish his sentence as a familiar green spell flew past him and struck Diggle.

"You thought we didn't know you and your merry band were out here Potter?" one of the Death Eaters yelled. Behind him, the others were congregating in preparation for the fight they knew was going to happen. "We knew you were here ever since you left that store, we just left you alone so you would think we didn't know. And our plan worked, look at your friend. We're going to make sure that none of the others walk out of here alive either!"

"Oh fuck this, NOW" Harry bellowed, randomly firing a spell into the crowd of Death Eaters. He didn't wait to see if it found its mark before adding, "don't go into the village, keep them out here!" He wasn't sure if anyone else heard him over the cacophony of noise, but he didn't have time to think about it. He began moving away from the village into the surrounding area, using the trees as cover and prompting the others to do the same.

Spells flew by all around them, most fortunately missing their mark. Harry was upset over Diggle's death, remembering the kindness the man showed him early in his life, and he was determined for no one else to die that day. For a time, it looked like that would be the case, as more Death Eaters lost their lives and the Order members sustained only minor cuts and lacerations. That changed though when Hestia Jones was cut down with no less than four Killing Curses in retaliation for a Death Eater she just killed. Her death further enraged Harry and he was now determined to send his own message to Voldemort.

"They all die!" he shouted out. "But leave one alive to tell Voldemort what happened here. He'll know how serious we are after this, I guarantee it." In response to his words, Ron, Brian, and Tonks all threw a Killing Curse at their opponents. Though none actually made contact with anyone, the message was plain to both sides.

At this point the Death Eaters, rightly fearing for their lives, started to behave more erratic and dangerous. An assortment of spells, most of which were deadly or near deadly, were quickly and randomly sent out, none actually hitting their intended targets. They did succeed in destroying most of the cover the Order members were using though, and things began to rapidly deteriorate from there. Without any other way to defend themselves, most of the fighters on both sides ended up in one-on-one or two-on-one duels, making use of the Shield Charm and simple dodging. Hermione had just defeated someone in such a duel when another spell flew past her, barely missing her.

"You're lucky bitch," the Death Eater announced. Hermione turned to face him and his eyes widened. "You know, for a Mudblood, you're quite pretty. Maybe I can have some fun with you before I kill you." A feral grin spread across his face at his statement while a hardened look of anger appeared on Hermione's. Before she could do anything to retaliate though, Harry appeared at her side and pushed her out of the way.

"No one talks to my girlfriend like that. Why don't you face me if you have the guts?" The Death Eater's grin suddenly vanished and was replaced by a snarl at his missed opportunity. Neither of them had the chance to say or do anything else before a purple spell flew through the air and struck the Death Eater's neck. His bones made a loud crack as they broke and the man collapsed on the ground and didn't move anymore. Harry looked to his right to see Hermione glaring at him, not a bit of remorse on her face for killing the man.

"I can take care of myself Harry." He scowled at her but let the matter drop for the moment and turned back to the rest of the battle. He had just started moving when a Killing Curse went flying by him. Harry spun back around in an instant, waiting to confront whoever was behind, but found no one. He assumed whoever it was had already gone, and most likely didn't mean him any harm if that was the case, and turned back to his previous course.

Behind Harry, Shadow breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't expected the young man to nearly step in front of his Killing Curse and his heart stopped beating for a second. He would have to sure to be more careful in the future but there was no way he was going to let this one mishap stop him from fighting. This was the first battle he was allowed to openly participate in, mainly because every Death Eater but one was marked for death, and he wasn't going to let the opportunity pass him by.

Truth be told, Shadow actually enjoyed the excitement of the battle. Though he wasn't human, he still had human emotions from taking his current form and the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body exhilarated him. Of course, if he could die he might feel a sense of fear as well, but he was very well aware of the fact that the flame of his life couldn't be snuffed out; if he did meet his end here, he would just cease to exist as a human and return to his true form. Ass to that the fact that he knew that death itself was painless and dying became the last thing on his mind.

While he was glad to be able to fight, Shadow would admittedly be even happier when he could finally reveal himself to Harry and actually fight at his side instead of constantly remaining hidden. Even now he could only fire off a handful of spells every few minutes. It was better than just watching from the sides and protecting Harry and certain other Order members, but he knew that nothing could compare to the thrill of actually being in a battle. Still, he was making progress, as he was directly responsible for the deaths of three Death Eaters so far, so that was a step in the right direction. At any rate, Shadow knew it wouldn't be long before he could reveal himself and until then he was pleased with his current position. As he fired off another spell, his mind began wondering to what would be a suitable Christmas present for Harry.

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><p>The Second Battle of Hogsmeade would later end up being described as one of the bloodiest, most brutal, and most one-sided battles of the war. Despite the vicious assault by the Order that was continuously cutting the Death Eaters down, none of Voldemort's followers dared to flee, knowing that a far worse fate awaited them if they did. The fight lasted for over an hour before, with only five Death Eaters still standing as opposed to the eleven Order members and Shadow, it ended with multiple things happening at once. Hagrid picked up one of the men and threw him so hard that he almost completely folded over when his back hit a thin tree. He fell to the ground and didn't move anymore. Sophia and Aberforth took advantage of his companions' momentary shock to hit two more with Killing Curses while Ron used <em>Sectumsempra<em> to decapitate a third man.

The last Death Eater refused to go down. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and dodged or blocked every spell they sent at him. It was obvious that he was focused more on survival than anything else at this point since he continuously fired off a random stream of spells in their general direction, attempting to keep the Order on the defensive. The battle was finally brought to an end when the Death Eater unknowingly hit a tree with a Blasting Curse. Brian and Remus were both knocked down by the blast and the shock of seeing his unexpected offense caused Voldemort's follower to cease his flurry of spells for a split second. Shadow took advantage of the situation to send his own spell at the man that missed its mark but gave Harry the opportunity to hit him with the same spell that he used against Vernon so many months ago, which he now called the Bludgeoning Curse. The Death Eater flew back and landed in the middle of the clearing, where he rolled onto his side and coughed up blood before collapsing face first back onto the ground. Harry walked over to the man and healed him just enough to keep him alive then knelt down beside him.

"Go back to your master and tell him what happened here," the raven-haired teen ordered in a dangerously low voice. "Tell him that twenty-nine of his followers were killed by thirteen of the Order and we only lost two. If he wants to send a message by murdering innocent people, then we'll send a message our own. Let him know that for every action he takes, we will respond in kind. His days of doing whatever the fuck he wants have long since passed." The Death Eater was extremely pale and visibly shaking in fear but he managed to Disapparated, though Harry wasn't sure if he would actually make it back to Voldemort in his current predicament.

As the leader of the Order had been sending his message along, the other members were busy tending to each other and dealing with the aftermath of the battle. Most of them sustained only minor injuries, cuts and bruises for the most part, though there were a few more serious wounds. Fred's left arm was halfway severed, which his twin was trying to heal, while George himself had a broken wrist. Tonks had suffered a broken leg, which she already fixed, and was busy attending to Brian. The explosion from the Blasting Curse had left him with several broken ribs, one of which possibly punctured a lung; several other broken bones; and his left side burned.

"Wotcher," Tonks said as she started doing what she could for him. "I can mend your bones Brian but you'll need to go to St. Mungo's for the burns and any internal injuries. Are you in incredible pain?"

"I'll be alright if I've got someone as beautiful as you to take care of me." The comment made Tonks stop for a second in surprise.

"I don't think right now is the best time to flirt with me Brian, considering the fact that you're injured and I still don't like the way you talked to both Ron and Harry yesterday."

"Alright so what will it take for you to forgive me then?" Tonks was silent for a moment as she thought up a reply that wasn't too harsh but still got her point across.

"Get your arse kicked by one of them." The tone of her voice startled Brian but seeing the look on the Witch's face made him realize that she wasn't completely serious. They shared a small smile as Tonks took his arm and Disapparated to St. Mungo's.

Remus had fared far better than Brian. Other than a broken wrist and cuts on his right side, the only injury he had suffered from the explosion was being knocked unconscious when he hit the ground. Being the closest person to him, Sophia repaired his wrist before using the _Ennervate_ spell to revive him. The werewolf looked around confusedly before his eyes settled on the woman in front of him. His eyes widened and his heart started beating slightly faster as he steeled himself for what he was about to do.

"Sophia, I-I was wondering if perhaps, sometime when you're not busy, you'd maybe want to, er, that is, fuck you'd think this would get easier with time." Sophia knew exactly what Remus was trying to ask her and, while she was quite happy about it, she wasn't going to make it much easier on him.

"Do you really think this is the best time to ask me on a date Remus? Besides, weren't you angry with me just two and a half weeks ago when I put down Harry?" Remus had the decency to look down in shame before giving her an almost feral grin.

"Yes, but that was before Harry told me how you acted when he spoke to you the next day. When he told me that I started thinking and I realized that you just didn't know much about Harry at the time and you were worried that he wasn't doing what needed to be done. You were worried that you were blindly following a young man, who's still in school, who doesn't know what he's doing. Tonks and I both know Harry quite well and we're aware of what he's capable of, so we failed to see your point of view. And what's wrong with asking you on a date now? When you nearly get yourself killed it makes you think about your future. So, would you let me take you out some time?"

"Sure, I'd like that. We'll set something up after we take care of this." She gave him a light smile as she continued to heal him, closing the cuts where she could and alleviating the pain where she couldn't.

Harry was oblivious to the exchanges taking place behind him. After relaying his message to the fallen Death Eater he went to the man Hermione killed. His neck was at an odd angle from where it had been broken and Harry couldn't help but wonder how exactly she ended his life, though he had an idea. As if drawn in by his train of thought, the Witch in question appeared at his side. He turned his head to look at her and nodded at the man, the unspoken question obvious.

"I used my Bone-Breaker Curse." The Bone-Breaker Curse was a spell Hermione had developed several months ago, although she had never gotten a chance to use it before the battle. It was a painful spell, and apparently potentially deadly if used with enough precision. The last time Harry saw her use it though, she wasn't accurate enough to aim at a specific target, especially when that target was as small as someone's neck.

"I didn't know realize you're already that precise with it."

"It's relatively easy with a bit of practice, just like _Sectumsempra_. Harry, we need to talk, and no it can't wait until later. Look, I greatly appreciate your desire to defend me but I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"So when someone threatens to rape you I'm supposed to stand by and do nothing about it? Just let them think they can do or say whatever they want?"

"Of course not, I don't expect you to just let it go, but as you said before, there's a time and a place for everything. If we're at Hogwarts or on a date, then by all means defend me, I'd like it as long as you don't overdo it. But during a battle with the Death Eaters I can stand up for myself. It's not worth you losing your life just because one of them insults me or threatens me with something they won't live long enough to carry out." Harry hated to admit it but he knew that she was right. Rushing in blindly to defend her honor when she was perfectly capable of doing so herself was stupid, especially when it could end up in his death. He knew that Hermione would rather be insulted than have him lose his life. Without a word he nodded and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I hate to break this tender moment up," Ron began as he walked up to them, "but shouldn't one of you go on to Hogwarts in case Umbridge needs you for something? We don't want her to know about this and hopefully she won't suspect anything as long as one of you are there. We've all spent too much time away from the castle as it is. If we're all missing for much longer, then everyone will start to be suspicious."

"Yeah, you're right mate. It'd probably be best if both of you go on back. Having the Head Girl and Seventh Year Gryffindor Prefect should be enough for any of Umbridge's twisted ideas. I'll stay here and help sort things out and I'll get back there as soon as I can."

"Why can't you just let Remus or Aberforth take care of things here sweetheart?"

"Because I'm the leader of the Order 'Mione. I can't just leave everyone here to do this on their own. I know that it's important for me to be at Hogwarts in case Umbridge wants me for something but it's even more important for me to be here right now. I'd love for you two to stay here and help too but, just like Ron said, someone has to be at the castle." Hermione reluctantly nodded and pecked Harry while Ron gave a simple word of affirmation. They turned on the spot and Disapparated with two spot pops as Harry turned to help everyone else.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes had passed since Hermione and Ron had returned to Hogwarts and the Order was nearly finished with their task. All of the Death Eaters' bodies had been unceremoniously disposed of and Dedalus Diggle, Hestia Jones, and Madam Rosmerta had all been given a proper, albeit temporary, burial. The idea was to move them to a real place of rest when they had the time to do so. Harry and Tonks, who had returned after making sure that Brian was admitted to the hospital, were working on repairing one of the buildings that was damaged the night before when a Patronus in the shape of an otter stopped in front the Head Boy.<p>

_"You need to get back to the castle now Harry. Umbridge is on the second floor looking for you and she's not happy. We can't distract her anymore." _

"You need to go Harry," Tonks told him. "We can handle this, it's just repairing things. Go on and deal with that. Remus, Hagrid, or myself will tell you how things went later on today alright? Now go, before Umbridge really starts to question why you're here." Harry gave her a murmured thanks before turning on his heel and Disapparating. He appeared right outside of the Hogwarts gates, pushed them open and swiftly began making his way the second floor. It didn't take him long to locate the corridor where Hermione and Ron were in a heated argument with Umbridge, likely over his whereabouts.

"Is there a problem here, Professor?" His sudden appearance caused the arguing to immediately cease and all three of them turned to look at him.

"Yes there is Mr. Potter," Umbridge responded after she had regained her composure. "I've been looking for you for the past twenty minutes to deal with a problem child for me. These two have informed me that you were busy. What were you busy doing?"

"Something more important."

"And what was that exactly?"

"I'm sorry Professor but if it has nothing to do with school or my job as Head Boy directly then I'm afraid what I do in my free time isn't any of your business."

"It is my business when you're not here to do your duties as Head Boy! Now tell me where you were and what you were doing that was more important than helping me!" It angered Harry that Umbridge was trying to pin the blame for her assumed failure onto him but he did his best to keep calm.

"There are more important things in this world right now than disciplining someone who most likely didn't do anything wrong. You said so yourself at the beginning of the year that our world is in chaos right now. I'm doing what I can to help calm that chaos. I'm a symbol of hope not only to the students in this school, but to everyone in the damn country! Someone who doesn't follow your sick rules to the letter isn't a priority for me when there's more important things to do and more important people for me to talk to." He deliberately attempted to insinuate that he was talking to someone at the Ministry, possibly the Minister, so that Umbridge wouldn't even consider what he actually had been doing as a possibility. Granted, it didn't make much difference if she realized that he was fighting Voldemort, since the whole point of the battle had been to send a message anyway, but he didn't want to give her any more ammunition to use against him. Fortunately she seemed to take his lie for truth and focused more on his absence from the castle than what he was doing in his absence.

"Whatever you were doing doesn't really matter to me Mr. Potter. All that matters is that you weren't here when I needed you. If you're not going to be a reliable Head Boy then I'm going to put someone in the position who will be. I never wanted you as Head Boy anyway, but by the time I was hired you had already been chosen and I was in no position to strip you of your position. Now I have a reason to do so, so as of this moment, you are no longer the Head Boy, Mr. Potter."

"What seems to be the problem here Dolores?" Professor McGonagall asked as she unexpectedly walked up. The timing of her arrival seemed to startle Umbridge and the Headmistress turned to face the Transfiguration professor with an air of shock that she quickly recovered from.

"Oh it's nothing Minerva, I've already taken care of it. What are you doing here?"

"Ms. Granger sent for me. She said that you were trying to oust Mr. Potter as the Head Boy. If you're indeed trying to do that then I sent for the other Heads of House and they should be along shortly. Ah, here's Severus now actually." Umbridge looked taken aback but relieved when the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher showed up, thinking that at least one person would be on her side. Just a few short minutes later, the six of them were joined by Professors Sprout and Flitwick.

"Thank you all for showing up so quickly," McGonagall began. "I asked you to come here because our esteemed Headmistress," everyone but Umbridge could hear the sarcasm in her voice, "is trying to remove Mr. Potter as Head Boy. As you all know, the Head of the school doesn't have the authority to do that by themselves. Removing a Prefect, the Head Girl, or the Head Boy requires a vote by the five of us. We all know where Dolores stands I believe, so we need to vote as well. I, of course, want Mr. Potter to remain Head Boy." Sprout and Flitwick both knew what Harry was doing for the students against Umbridge and immediately agreed with the Deputy Headmistress. All that remained was Snape's vote; though Harry would remain Head Boy no matter what the professor would say, his vote was necessary to make the decision official.

Snape took a lengthy amount of time to make his choice. He knew that he wanted Harry to remain Head Boy, he was protecting the students and acted as a source of hope for everyone in the magical world, but he didn't know if he wanted to publicly proclaim his support for the raven-haired youth. While he did respect the young man, and was actually growing to like him, he didn't want Voldemort to know that. Of course, the only way he would find out is if Malfoy told him and Snape had spent years crafting a very convincing persona with which to fool the Dark Lord. He was quick to believe that Snape was ever his loyal servant and that he only supported Dumbledore, and now Harry, gain their trust.

"I think Mr. Potter is an excellent Head Boy and he should remain as such," Snape finally announced. "At any rate, he hasn't done anything to warrant being replaced." Umbridge, who thought she would finally receive some support from the former Potions Professor, felt her jaw drop.

"Then it's settled," McGonagall spoke up again. "Mr. Potter is still our Head Boy." Umbridge scowled at them before turning and scurrying back down the corridor, not even bothering to look back. Harry, who was still seething over the way she acted, managed to thank the professors before they left as well, leaving only the three teens in the hallway. Hermione took her boyfriend's hand in hers, which succeeded in only slightly calming him, and they made their way to their class.


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Guilty All the Same<strong>

_"We're all completely behind Harry and Hermione because they're trying to protect us."_

Harry was sitting in an empty classroom with Hermione faithfully by his side, as always. He had been in such a foul mood since his confrontation with Umbridge earlier that day that she was the only one who was still with him. Ron had met up with Luna after her last class nearly an hour ago and Ginny and Neville hadn't been seen since Harry snapped at them during lunch. Really he couldn't blame his friends for wanting to get away from him after the way he acted, but at that moment he honestly didn't care. He was so angry with the way Umbridge treated him that he wouldn't care if Hermione left him alone too. At least that's what he told himself, though deep down he knew that wasn't the case, even as she began to chastise him for how he was acting.

"Why are you being so rude to everyone? I told you before that you were spread too thin but you didn't listen to me."

"What the fuck was I supposed to do?! Let Remus handle things in Hogsmeade and come back here to play nice with that fucking bitch?"

"Yes, you should've let Remus take care of cleaning up in the village. You know he can do it. Then she wouldn't have had any reason to get onto you because you would've already been here. You have a responsibility to the people in this school Harry."

"I have a fucking responsibility to the people outside of this school too!"

"Don't you dare fucking yell at me Harry Potter. I'm the only one who's still by your side right now, despite the way you've been acting today, because I love you. Don't think that I won't fucking leave you alone too if you keep yelling at me though." Harry glared at her, refusing to believe that she was making him out to be the bad guy.

"So, hold on, let me get this straight. I do my best to help people, to finally defeat Voldemort, and I'm the fucking bad guy because of it?"

"No, you're the fucking dumbass who won't ask anyone else for help! I told you, I _told_ you that you're trying to do too much back in October. That was a month and a half ago and look how far things have come since then. I knew things were going to get even more hectic for you, but you didn't listen to me. I want you to help you Harry. You're my boyfriend and I love you. Don't you know that it's hard on me too when you go through shit like this?" Harry opened his mouth to retaliate but he didn't get the chance before the door was thrown open and Malfoy walked in with Crabbe and Goyle at his side.

"I thought I heard your voice in here Potter. I heard about what happened this morning. If you had had some of the Order members there to defend the village, maybe it wouldn't have been taken so easily."

"And if your fellow Death Eaters weren't so incompetent maybe some of them would still be alive now Malfoy." Harry's wit obviously hadn't been hampered by Umbridge's earlier treatment of him. Malfoy's eyes went wide with obvious shock at the news but he quickly regained his usual sneer.

"They were useless anyway. You did the Dark Lord a favor by eliminating them. Did you meet Madam Rosmerta by the way? She was a beautiful sight wasn't she? Do you want to know who killed her Potter? It was me. I even had some fun with her before I did it too. At first she fought me but by the end she was screaming for more."

Harry's face contorted with a rage that only Hermione knew he possessed. The look was enough to actually cause Malfoy's sneer to melt into a look of slight fear. The only warning he got that Harry was about to jump him was a slight twitch of the raven-haired youth's hands. Fortunately for everyone involved, Hermione knew what was about to happen and intervened, firmly putting her hand on Harry's chest and pushing him back. He didn't try to resist her but the stare he was giving Malfoy made it clear that he wasn't going to say anything anytime soon.

"Malfoy, I don't care who you know outside of school, right now you're lucky that I'm here to stop Harry from doing anything. There's no doubt in my mind that he'd kill you if he got his hands on you. Shut up!" she barked when Malfoy opened his mouth to say something. "You don't get to say anything now, not after what you did! Since you obviously won't be punished by the Ministry, they'll never even know who did that I'm sure, I'll punish you for it. You've got detention for the rest of the school year and I will be speaking to Professor McGonagall to make sure it's enforced. I would take every since point I could from you but there's no reason that the rest of the Slytherins have to suffer because of you so-"

"That's **my** House, you filthy little Mudblood. Everything that happens in there happens because I allow it. If you decide to take points from me then they'll all blame you." Hermione felt Harry stiffen even more when Malfoy used the derogatory name and put more pressure on his chest before addressing the blonde.

"I think the others would beg to differ that it's your House. They have just as much to do with as you do and I don't think they'd appreciate knowing that you think so little of them, not that many of them care about you anyway. And you're wrong if you think that they'll all blame me for taking points from you. They know that you're so selfish and arrogant that they'll put the blame directly on your head. Oh I'm sure that Parkinson and everyone else in the Inquisitor Squad will blame me, but none of them are worth my or anyone else's attention. So I think I'm safe when I take one hundred points from you Malfoy. Now if you don't want Harry to launch himself at you, I'd suggest you get out of our way and let us leave."

Malfoy had a look on his face not unlike the time when Hermione punched him in third year. He didn't move when Hermione took Harry's hand and started leading him outside the classroom. It wasn't until the two of them were back in the hallway that Malfoy found his voice and his malice again. He wasn't going to let the two of them get away without getting in the last word.

"So I see you have to have your whore fight your battles now for you Potter. Maybe I should've taken her instead of Rosmerta. I'm sure she would've been begging for more." Harry stopped at Malfoy's words and turned back to face him, despite Hermione's insistence that he keep walking.

"Malfoy, if you talk about Hermione like that again I swear I will end you, I don't care what happens to me. I'm not going to let you talk about the person who's most important to me like that. If she wasn't here right now, you'd already be dead and I wouldn't be saying this. Consider this your one and only warning: say anything like that again and it'll be the last thing to ever come out of your mouth, do you understand me?"

Hermione didn't even let Harry wait for a reply as she forcibly pulled him away from the three Slytherins and towards Gryffindor Tower. Ginny and Neville, who were sitting on one of the couches in the common room, looked up when the two walked in. They noticed Harry's behavior and raised their eyes in question, causing Hermione to give them a wave of her hand to let them know she would explain later. She pulled some Floo powder out of a container in her pocket and threw it into the fire, forcing Harry to return to Grimmauld Place before she left as well.

She arrived just in time to see Harry hit his fist into the wall. Kreacher and Dobby both came running into the room while Crookshanks hissed and fled from his spot on one of the chairs. She gave Harry a look of disapproval that he didn't see as he started pacing around the kitchen, doing his best to keep his anger under control.

"I didn't need you to defend me like that. I told you this morning that I can stick up for myself. And I know we were at Hogwarts but you were already angry. Who knows what you would've done if I hadn't been there to stop you." Harry didn't seem to hear her as he continued pacing.

"I wanted to kill him, I should've killed him. I would've been doing the world a favor if I did. Why did you have to stop me Hermione?" he asked as he suddenly rounded on her. The look he was giving her wasn't one of anger, but it was obvious that he was disappointed.

"Because you can't kill him just because he said something like that. _We_ both know he did all of it, but no one else outside of the Order does and there are few who'll believe the word of two teenagers, even if one of them is the Boy-Who-Lived. Besides, the Malfoys are a very prestigious pureblood family and no one would convict him based on that alone. Don't forget that he's still a teenager too, and most people won't believe that Voldemort would let someone as young as him be a Death Eater, even though his father was one. And I know that he was at the attack on the Burrow back in the summer but with the confusion it's likely that none of the Aurors even noticed him."

"So we'll kill him and then show everyone the Dark Mark. No one will be able to deny it then."

"There are ways of hiding the Dark Mark though Harry. Do you really think that Voldemort would risk his new right hand being discovered at Hogwarts just because his sleeve was accidentally pushed up his arm?" Harry scowled at her, not wanting to believe the truth but knowing that she was right. He forced himself to calm down and continued her train of thought.

"And Voldemort wouldn't risk letting him cover the Mark himself. Everyone knows, or should know, that any magical effects that someone has in place will cease to work when that person dies. Letting Malfoy hide his Mark himself would be stupid since it wouldn't do any good if he died. You're right 'Mione. There's nothing we can do about him now. I swear that I'm going to kill him one day though."

"This is one time that we'll have to agree to disagree sweetheart. While I do want him dead, I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't like to kill him myself. If I get to him before you then I'm afraid I'm going to be the one to end his life. I know you two have had your problems with each other from the very beginning, but I've had my own problems with him. He's made my life hell just as much as he has yours and I want to pay him for it myself."

"Alright fine, we'll make a deal then. Whoever doesn't get to kill Malfoy gets Bellatrix. Does that sound fair?" Hermione nodded and the two of them started to make their dinner for the evening. The meal passed with few words spoken between them and their homework was done in near silence. Neither of them were angry or upset with the other but the day had taken its toll on them and they both wanted to be alone with their thoughts. They respected each other's desires and knew that they would speak of things when they were both ready to. They slept closer together than usual that night to provide each other with what small amount of comfort they could.

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><p>"Oh fuck, look at this Harry." Hermione passed him the <em>Daily Prophet<em> as they were sitting at the table eating their breakfast. On the front page was a rather detailed article about the battle at Hogsmeade from the previous day. Harry didn't have to read much of it before he came to the part he knew Hermione was talking about.

"They attacked because of an attack the Order had done back in July? Do they really think that's what this is about? If Voldemort wanted revenge for that he would've done it a long time ago. This is retaliation for the attack on Yaxley's manor a few weeks ago and, more importantly, because people aren't as afraid of him anymore. He's trying to break everyone's spirits again."

"Hopefully people will realize that too and won't be quick to blame the Order. Even if they don't know that's what he's really trying to do, surely they'll understand that none of this would happen if Voldemort wasn't here in the first place. Still, what are you going to do if people actually do put the blame on the Order?"

"What else can I do? If I let the public opinion of the Order dictate our actions then we won't do anything and Voldemort will have free reign. The Ministry is doing better but they don't have the same advantages we do. There'd be nothing to stop Voldemort from bringing the country to its knees. I guess about the only thing I can do is let everyone know that I'm the leader of the Order and take all the criticism myself. It won't be the first time everyone's shunned and slandered me and I'll gladly take the blame if it means that we can still put up a fight against him."

"It doesn't bother you that you'll still be helping people even though they'll hate you for it? Even though they'll hate you for doing your best to protect them?"

"Of course it'll bother me 'Mione, I'm not going to lie and say that it won't, but that doesn't matter. If I don't fight back, if _we_ don't fight back, then who's going to? Who else will be brave enough to stand up to the most powerful Dark wizard in centuries and fight back? If we want to have a chance at ending him then we're going to have to fight back ourselves, to hell with what everyone thinks about it. We may be getting ahead of ourselves here though. People may realize that Voldemort is really the one to blame and might not harbor any resentment at all towards the Order. We'll just have to see what the response is first. I imagine we'll find out something about it at Hogwarts. You know how fast things spread there."

Hermione nodded and moved to sit beside Harry so the two of them could read the article while they ate. It was surprisingly accurate, especially considering the fact that no one who worked at the _Prophet_ could have been anywhere near the battle. There were some fabrications of course, there usually were in second-hand stories, but they were very minor details that didn't take away from the importance of the article. The source of the information was finally revealed to them when they read four words towards the end of the piece: "Moony says 'mischief managed'." They both laughed at Remus' ability to give enough details so that people knew what really happened while changing things just enough so that no one knew he was really there. With their mood lifted and their breakfast eaten, the Head Boy and Girl headed off to Hogwarts for their first class.

The reception the Order received was completely battling to them. They were expecting everyone to be in an uproar about the attack supposedly caused because of the Order. They expected people to be in heated arguments that they would have to break up, fights between friends that would result in points being taken away and detentions given, people speaking in hushed voices for fear that they would be targeted if they spoke out too loudly against Voldemort. What they saw was the same as the day before and the day before that: students going about their day as if nothing had happened to the outside world. Perhaps Harry was right and no one blamed the Order. Perhaps everyone knew that Voldemort was really to blame for everything and that the Order was simply trying to stand up to him and be a shield for the innocents. They got an answer at lunchtime when Malfoy stood up with a copy of the paper in his hand.

"Did everyone see this?" he demanded in a haughty voice. "Hogsmeade was attacked, innocents were killed, all because of this Order of the Phoenix. Do we really want people like them defending us? It seems to me that they're causing more harm than good." Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle were all nodding at the Slytherin table along with a few others. Neville was about to respond to Malfoy's claim when Tracey Davis beat him to it.

"Do you really expect us to believe anything you say Malfoy? We all know that, even though they make mistakes, the Order is trying to help us. Did the members of the Order kill any of those people at Hogsmeade? No, they were there to help rid the village of the Death Eaters and make it safe for everyone who lives there. The Death Eaters were the ones who murdered those innocent bystanders because they were trying to spread the fear that You-Know-Voldemort, that Voldemort once had. This isn't something the Order is responsible for, it's something that Voldemort is responsible for because he's afraid he's losing the one thing he still has over everyone: fear. So don't try to place the blame on the Order when you yourself know damn well that the Death Eaters are the ones to blame."

Everyone was silent at Tracey's words for a few seconds before cheers and applause broke out. Phrases such as "damn right Davis," "couldn't have said it better myself," and "shove off Malfoy" were heard all around the Great Hall as Professor Umbridge and Filch tried to calm everyone down. The other teachers, most of whom wanted to join in the applause themselves, only half-heartedly attempted to help her. When it became absolutely apparent that he wasn't going to get any support, Malfoy scowled and left the Great Hall with his group. After that the cheering began to die down, though people still shot appreciative glances to Tracey and a few even came over and said something to her in person. Harry and Hermione were two of these people when they went to leave the Great Hall for their next class.

The rest of Harry's day was unexpectedly pleasant. Tracey's comments had stirred up a proverbial hornet's nest and everywhere he went people were praising the Order. It filled him with pride knowing that people weren't sheep and they knew who was really responsible for the deaths at Hogsmeade. The fact wasn't lost on him that most of these people were underage but he was also well aware that children tended to echo the sentiments of their parents, which told him that most people outside of Hogwarts likely felt the same way. Their reaction made Harry feel like he and the Order were actually accomplishing something against Voldemort. It was true that he was still alive and very much a threat, but the fear he had commanded for so many years was starting to wane. The fact that Tracey chose to say his name was proof of that.

Despite the sentiments most of the school harbored towards Voldemort and the Order, there were still a few people who were dead set against the Order and supported Voldemort. Harry was reminded of this after his last class of the day when he was on his way to the Gryffindor common room to Floo back to Grimmauld Place. He and Hermione had just stepped off the stairs onto the fifth floor when they were stopped by the fake cough of Umbridge. Harry closed his eyes in frustration and Hermione put a comforting hand on his arm as they turned around to face the Headmistress.

"What do you want?" Harry asked coldly. He was still angry over the way she treated him yesterday and didn't even bother to stand on ceremony with her. Hermione's reassuring hand on his arm was the only thing that was able to keep his anger in check, which Umbridge was quite aware of. She was actually hoping for Harry to still be angry so she could hopefully exploit it and cause him to do or say something she could use to finally remove him as Head Boy.

"I heard from Mr. Malfoy that he was given detention for the rest of the school year yesterday," the Headmistress began. "I have known the Malfoys for years and it is not like him to do something deserving of a punishment that severe. Would you care to explain yourself?" Harry was well aware of Umbridge's tactic of keeping calm to further incite him and he didn't want to risk losing the control he had on his temper. He took a deep breath before he attempted to answer her but Hermione beat him to it.

"I gave Malfoy that punishment Professor. He said that he-"

"I didn't ask you, Mudblood," Umbridge said, cutting Hermione as she looked at the girl with a cold, hard gaze. Her opinion about Hermione was well documented and, while she kept a calm demeanor with Harry, she always spoke to Hermione with contempt. "You would do well to hold your tongue when in the presence of your betters. I was talking to Mr. Potter, not to you. Now, answer the question Potter." Hermione was stunned into silence at Umbridge's words. Like everyone else, she knew that the Headmistress didn't like her but she never expected the woman to blatantly speak to her like that. Feeling the hurt his girlfriend tried to hide on served to fuel Harry's ire and, though his response to Umbridge was in a calm voice, there was no denying the fury that could be heard in it.

"You think that you're so superior that you have to put down someone just because they answer for me?" He made a noise of contempt and a sharp motion of his head, causing his hair to fall down into his face. He violent shook his head to remove the hair out of his, revealing a fire of cold fury in them. "The fact is, you put Hermione down because you know that she's better than you. She's more intelligent than you, she has a better personality than you, she's more pleasant to be around than you, and she's just a better person than you are. It's really pathetic that you have to insult someone like Hermione, who does nothing to hurt you or anyone else, just to make yourself feel better.

"As far as Malfoy goes, I'll tell you exactly what he did: he all but told us he participated in the attack on Hogsmeade two nights ago, that he murdered Madam Rosmerta himself, and he implied that he raped her. You think that we're going to let him admit to something like that and not do what we can to punish him? Nothing will happen to him outside of this school, no one would believe that someone as young as him would be involved with the Death Eaters and the Malfoys are too influential even if they did, so we did something about it ourselves."

"I'm finding it harder and harder to believe your lies Mr. Potter. Draco Malfoy would never be involved in something like that, he's much too innocent to do something like that. If you continue to spread these lies about someone as upstanding as him, I'll make sure the Minister does something about it." By this point, a few of the other students had gathered around the three and were listening intently to every word Harry said.

"Like hell you will. Lies, my arse. I'm not lying and you bloody well know it. You know as well as I that Malfoy is a Death Eater but it doesn't surprise me that you're standing up for him. Everyone here knows that Malfoy has been fascinated with Voldemort and his lot since he showed up at Hogwarts. Hell, his father was Voldemort's right hand for years! Malfoy probably grew up thinking that he would one day take Lucius' place, which he most likely has now.

"I'll admit that I don't like Draco Malfoy, everyone knows that, but this goes far beyond a schoolyard rivalry. Malfoy isn't just trying to show me up in class, or beat me in Quidditch, or curse me behind my back because I insulted him better than he insulted me, now he's killing people and helping to take over our world and oppress all of us." What had started out as a few students merely listening to Harry had now turned into a crowd that was rumbling its support of Harry's speech. "Professor, whether you want to admit it or not, Malfoy is a danger to everyone at this school and most people out there. He proved that Wednesday night and I'll be damned if I'm going to let him get away with it just because you're in his back pocket and everyone else is too afraid to do anything about it."

"Mr. Potter, there is no proof of your accusations and until such time as there is, I will not stand for you speaking of Mr. Malfoy in such a way!"

"He doesn't need much proof," Daphne Greengrass spoke up, coming to the aid of Harry. "Malfoy's bragged since returning to school about some of the things he's been involved in with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He made sure our entire House knew that he was involved in the attack on the Weasleys' house back in July. He tried to control everyone in it by either fear or admiration, exactly as Voldemort does. And Harry's right, you do know more than you let on. You're deliberately protecting Malfoy, we all know it, and we're not going to let you accuse of Harry of lying about something we all know about."

"Be silent you foolish girl! I'll give you all detention if you don't leave at once!"

"You're going to give detentions to over half of the school?" Terry Boot said. "Where are you going to put us all and, more importantly, who's going to make sure that we show up? You've got no support here and you know it. We're all completely behind Harry and Hermione because they're trying to protect us. They know what's really going on and they don't try to hide it from us, nor do they act like we're too stupid to understand."

"We're not just going to stand by and let you attempt to bully him anymore," Hannah Abbott added. "We trust him and we know that he's trying his damnedest to help everyone in our world, despite people like you who try to stop him. If he's risking his neck like this for us, then the least we do is show our support for him and we're going to."

"You're really planning on standing up to all of us right now?" Ginny questioned. "We can't physically do anything but we can still make your life as much of a living hell as you've made ours if you push us. Are you really willing to take that chance? Do you really think that threatening to give us all detention is going to deter us? We all knew what we were doing when we came here and we're more than prepared for the consequences. You're not going to get rid of us that easily."

Umbridge looked at the students surrounding her and for once was at a loss for words. She knew that some of them supported Harry but she never dreamed that over half of the student body, including a good number of Slytherins, would come to his aid. She also knew that they were all right, there was no way she could punish them all without some kind of backlash. Even then, there was no way she could ensure that they all would go through with the punishment. With a huff, she turned and walked away, the students parting to let her pass.

"Thank you," Harry said as the Headmistress left, "all of you. I greatly appreciate that you all chose to stand by me instead of doing the easy thing and walking away. We need to be united now more than ever and what you've done gives me hope that we are."

"Everyone's united around you mate," Neville announced. "Your actions both here at Hogwarts and in general have convinced us all that we need to band together and do something about Umbridge. We're stronger together than we are apart and you've showed us that." Words and nods of agreement met Neville's words. "You've become an inspiration and rallying point for us, hell for the entirety of magical Britain, just as Dumbledore was. I think most of us here would follow you to Hell and back mate."

Harry and Hermione were both obviously touched by Neville's words and everyone's support. They tried to voice their appreciation again but no words came out. Before they found their voices, the students parted again and began to silently disperse when Professor Slughorn walked up to the Head Boy and Girl.

"Ah Harry, there you are my boy. And Ms. Granger, it's lovely to see you too my dear. I've been looking for you two. After the success of my little Christmas party last year, I've decided to have another one on the last day of the term again and I insist that you both come."

"Alright, we'll be there Professor," Harry responded after a brief hesitation. Hermione gave him a pointed look but didn't say anything.

"Excellent!" Slughorn exclaimed. "I'm looking forward to seeing you there. I have no doubt it will be even better than last year. I wish I had time to stay and chat but, now that my business with you is included, I must be off." Without waiting for a response from them, Slughorn turned around and hurried away.

"Thanks for asking me if I wanted to go to that fucking party," Hermione told her boyfriend as soon as the Potions professor was out of earshot.

"Hey, you try saying no to Slughorn." Hermione didn't respond.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><strong>Watching us Die Tonight<strong>

_"You know Harry better than he knows himself."_

Harry woke with a pounding in his head, his glasses askew, and wearing a set of maroon dress robes with dark gold trim. Hermione lay beside him in a red dress that was pushed up around her hips and slightly smeared makeup. He rubbed his forehead, absently noticing that his hair fell in curtains on either side of his face, trying to remember the events from the night before. He vaguely remembered them going to Slughorn's party, and Hermione still being upset with him for not consulting her before making the decision to attend said party, but not much else. He remembered seeing Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville at the party, though he wasn't quite sure why Ron and Luna were there. As he looked around the room he happened to see an empty bottle of Firewhiskey on the floor and a half empty bottle sitting on the nightstand. At least that explained his temporary memory loss.

He felt Hermione begin stirring beside him and noticed for the first time that she wasn't wearing the knickers she had on the night before. She was naked from the waist down and it wasn't difficult to figure out why. At least he knew one thing for certain that happened last night: he and Hermione got drunk and had what appeared to be very passionate sex. He seemed to remember that he was already a little buzzed when they arrived home from the party, but he didn't know if the reason for it was good or bad. He hoped Hermione might provide him with some answers but she seemed to be just as disoriented as he was.

"What happened Harry?" she groggily asked. "Where the fuck are my knickers and why am I so sore?" Harry gave her a wry smile as he softly kissed her.

"I can only answer one of those questions, though I'm sure you can easily guess why you're so tender. Your dress isn't pushed up and your knickers aren't missing for no reason." Hermione's brain was apparently refusing to cooperate and it took her a bit to realize what Harry was implying. When she finally wrapped her mind around the concept that they had an intense shag, a light blush appeared on her face. She wasn't sure whether she was blushing because she was embarrassed that it took her that long to realize what Harry was suggesting or because she didn't remember what they did but it didn't really matter either way.

"Why does my head hurt so much?" she groaned before spotting the same bottle of Firewhiskey Harry had. "Oh, I guess that's why. There's my knickers too," she continued, noticing the lacey, black scrap of cloth on the floor. "Oh, I really feel like I need a shower. Do you want to join me babe?"

"Yes but I don't think I should right now. I feel like something happened last night and one of us should be out here in case someone needs us or something. Besides I want to see if I can remember anything else. I know we went to the party and we were slightly buzzed before we left, I just don't remember anything else." Hermione nodded and went to go take her shower, leaving Harry to his thoughts on the bed. After what felt like an eternity, he finally had the idea to call upon someone who would be much more likely to know at least some of the details from the previous night.

"Kreacher, Dobby?" The two elves in question instantly popped out of thin air at Harry's request.

"Master Harry has requested Kreacher?"

"Yes, I need to know what happened after Hermione and I came home last night."

"Kreacher is afraid Kreacher doesn't knows Master Harry," the little elf replied, his face dropping in sadness. "Kreacher was busy attending to other matters and Dobby took care of Master and Mistress."

"Thanks Kreacher," Harry told him, giving the miniscule creature a smile. "Dobby, would you tell me what happened last night then?"

"Dobby will be glad to Harry Potter. Yous and Mistress Hermione came home acting funny, Dobby suspects yous was drunk sir, and yous went into your room. Dobby didn't sees either of yous for the rest of the night but yous both seemed upset. Dobby thought he heard yous say something about Umbridge and cleaning the castle, but Dobby isn't sure sir." Harry's jaw dropped at Dobby's words and he suddenly remembered exactly why he and Hermione had started drinking at Hogwarts. Umbridge had caught them on their way to Slughorn's party and informed them that, due to the other students despicable behavior for the past two weeks and them not doing anything about it, they were to come to the castle and clean it that day.

The worst part about the entire thing was there was no way for them to get out of it really. Harry and Hermione knew that Umbridge was likely to come up with a terrible punishment for the other students if they didn't do this. It was the responsibility of the Head Boy and Head Girl to make good on their promise to protect the students for standing up for themselves. Harry sighed, rose up from the bed, and changed out of his dress robes into a t-shirt and jeans. He told Dobby to tell Hermione where he was going and Flooed to the castle. He knew that Umbridge probably wouldn't be very happy that the Head Girl didn't show up but he didn't want to involve her when he was more than capable with dealing with things himself.

The fire in the Gryffindor common room glowed green, startling the students there, and Harry walked out. He gave them a nod, a smile, and told them "Happy Christmas" before stepping out into the corridor. The seventh floor wasn't in terrible shape but it was the one exception. Everywhere else there was evidence of the students pushing back against the Headmistress. Some suits of armor randomly yelled a frightening screech as Harry neared while others were torn apart. Scorch marks lined the walls from where students had playfully dueled each other, causing Filch to nearly run himself to death as he darted around trying to catch them. Phrases such as "You've been hit by Dumbledore's Army" and "Malfoy landed here" could be seen marked into the walls and on the ceiling. The floor was littered with the remains of products from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

It only took Harry a few short hours to clean the place, mostly because he knew what most of the spells were that had been used to cause the disruption. In fact, he and Hermione had taught several of the necessary spells to the DA when some of the members specifically wanted a way to really get under Umbridge's skin. Obviously, judging by the amount of destruction throughout the school, the DA weren't the only people to give the Headmistress her early Christmas present. The short, toad-like woman had been clearly driven to her wits end over the past couple of weeks, which Harry thought was worth having to clean it up, but he was sure the others wouldn't have been so quick to do this if they knew that he would be the one to fix everything. He resolved never to tell anyone other than Hermione and Ron, possibly Ginny, Neville, and Luna as well. He was thrilled that the Hogwarts population was finally solidified and he wasn't going to risk losing that solidarity by bringing his own suffering to light. Admittedly, compared to some of the other things he had been through in his life, this wasn't much of a punishment for him. The only thing that was truly terrible about the entire thing was when Umbridge cornered him just before he finished.

"It's very noble for you to show up here today Potter, but that doesn't make it any less stupid to take the punishment for something you didn't even do. It doesn't surprise me, you're always quick to try to protect people, and I capitalized on that. If you're going to protect everyone else for standing up for themselves, as you put it, then I'm going to exploit it. You should have known that you put yourself in a terrible position when you made that promise. If anyone does anything then you and Granger are the ones who are going to pay for it, otherwise everyone will start to lose faith in you. I promise I'll make you regret this."

Her words angered Harry, as she had planned, but he refused to say anything to her. In fact, he acted like she wasn't even there as he continued to put the castle back into its proper standing. With one last wave of his wand, he finished everything up and walked past the Headmistress, who had trouble believing that he wasn't fighting her, and went back to the Gryffindor common room. It wasn't until he was safely back in Grimmauld Place that Harry let loose his temper by yelling at the top of his voice.

* * *

><p>Harry and Hermione were gathered around the Christmas tree they had just put up with a box of ornaments, decorating it for their first Christmas together. Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Kreacher were helping them with the tinsel and lights while Tonks, Remus, Sophia, Luna, and Dobby were decorating the rest of the room. Harry's brush with Umbridge earlier that day had been all but forgotten in the holiday spirit and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. As soon as they had finished up with the tree, Ron turned to Harry and Hermione with an odd look in his eyes.<p>

"When's the last time you two went on a date?" he randomly asked. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, both hoping that the other knew the answer while wracking their own brain.

"Er, I'm not sure. Do you know 'Mione? I don't remember."

"Sometime back in September I think? Does that sound about right? We've had so many things going on lately that it's hard to remember when we last did something just for the two of us like that."

"Well why don't you two go then? You've got the chance now so go on. We can handle everything else here and it'll be the perfect opportunity for us to get your gifts ready." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded after a quick, silent conversation. Without a word, they left the room and came back down a few minutes later ready for the date Ron had suggested. They weren't wearing anything very fancy or over the top, they were just going to dinner and a movie after all, but they had changed into something nicer than their house clothes. They left the house with nothing more than simple words of farewell to everyone and Disapparated to their favorite movie house.

Two hours later the two of them left in an even better mood. The movie they had watched wasn't exactly the best or the most memorable, neither of them really even remembered the name of it, but it was nice to actually do something as a couple again instead of worrying about Voldemort, Umbridge, and schoolwork all the time. So far it had been the best night they had had in nearly a month.

"I'm going to use the bathroom sweetheart," Harry told Hermione as soon as the throng of people leaving the theatres began to dissipate. No sooner had he left her side than a large Muggle teenager about their age walked up beside Hermione and grabbed her ass. She threw his hand off and gave him a glare that had little effect on him.

"Excuse me, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Whatever I want baby." The teen was clearly full of himself and thought that Hermione would think so as well. "I want you and I know that you want me, so why don't we get out of here and go someplace more intimate?"

"Why the hell would I want you? I have an amazing boyfriend and even if I didn't, there's no way I'd ever be interested in someone as vile as you. I have no interest in someone as cocky and objectifying as you, so why don't you just run along."

"What boyfriend?" The boy clearly hadn't heard anything Hermione had said after announcing that she was dating Harry. "I don't see your supposed boyfriend around here anywhere. Maybe you're just afraid that I'm too much man for you, sweet thing. Even if you really do have a boyfriend, which I doubt, I'll make you forget about him."

"Oh I doubt that very much," Harry told the teen as he walked up beside Hermione. "You're looking for her boyfriend and now you've found him. I don't know what exactly you did, though I'm sure she'll tell me later, but I really suggest that you leave before something happens that you'll regret." The boy, who was quite a bit taller and much more muscular than Harry, simply started laughing at the raven-haired teen's threat.

"What the hell do you think you're going to do to me kid? You've got nothing on me! And you don't have to wait for her to tell you what I did, I'll tell you myself. I grabbed her arse and propositioned to show her a good time." Harry's anger flared at the boy's words but he remained calm on the outside.

"Look, I really suggest that you just go on and find someone else. She's with me, she clearly has no interest in you, and I think you should be man enough to accept that."

"Oh she's with you right now, but that's because she thinks she doesn't have a choice. I'll show her what a real man is like. She'll be begging me to do more than grab her arse before it's over." Hermione saw when Harry's right hand went for his wand and she grabbed it just before his fingers grasped the handle.

"Enough!" she told the two. "Harry, calm down sweetheart, please. And you need to get out of here." The look she gave the other teen was a cold and furious look that scared him more than anything Harry had said. At that point he truly understood that if he continued with his current course of action that it would end very badly for him. He quickly put space between the two magic users and attempted to use his charm on some other girl while Hermione dragged Harry in the opposite direction.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Harry?" she hissed when they were alone. "You know you can't use magic against a Muggle!"

"You said you wanted me to stand up for you whenever someone does something like that!"

"Yes I did, and that was a poor choice of words. I want you to come to my rescue when I need it, not treat me I'm some fucking damsel in distress! And I don't want you to try to curse someone just because they made a lewd comment about me like that. I want you to be the calm man you normally are, not the jealous child I saw back there."

"Jealous? He basically said he was going to fuck you and you call my reaction jealousy? I fucking call it appropriate! I'm not going to let someone talk about my girlfriend like that!" Hermione sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Alright, Harry from now on just let me stand up for myself. If someone keeps pushing like he did there, then it'll probably be best for you to intervene but otherwise, just let me fucking deal with it. This is clearly going to cause problems for us if things stay this way. Now can we just forget about this and go eat?"

Without a word, Harry gripped Hermione's hand and Disapparated to the restaurant. They put on a happy facade before being shown to their table. Hermione was easily able to keep up her front, after all her only problem was how her boyfriend was acting, but Harry wasn't quite as fortunate. As soon as he noticed their waiter flirting with Hermione, the raven-haired teen's smiling mask was dropped and he began glowering at the unfortunate Muggle. His mood worsened when Hermione didn't say anything to the young man. Harry continued to silently glower until Hermione finally decided that had had enough of his attitude and said something.

"So are you going to tell me what the fuck's wrong now or should I start guessing?"

"Apparently, you standing up for yourself doesn't include when Muggle waiters flirt with you." Hermione blinked in surprise at Harry's words.

"He's flirting with me? I didn't notice." Harry glared at her incredulously, not really believing that she didn't know the waiter was hitting on her. "Calm down, I'll talk to him when he comes back." True to her word, Hermione called the young man out on his behavior when he returned a few minutes later with their food.

"Excuse me, my boyfriend just pointed out that you're flirting with me, or trying to at least, and I'm going to have to ask you to stop. I'm in a happy relationship with him and I don't care for the attentions of other men." Surprisingly, the waiter simply nodded and apologized before leaving without further incident. "There, are you happy now?"

"Sure," Harry responded with a sharp nod of his head. He began eating and soon started talking to her. Hermione was sure that the forced calm in his voice meant that he wasn't going to let the situation with the waiter go. Her hunch was proven correct when they Apparated back to Grimmauld Place thirty minutes later. Before they even walked through the door, Harry rounded on her.

"You know, I find it very hard to believe that you didn't realize that bloke was hitting on you. He wasn't exactly being subtle about it."

"Oh fuck Harry, not this again. Look, you're my boyfriend and I love you. I don't care if anyone else flirts with me so I stopped paying attention to it. Besides, watching two men hit on me in one night isn't nearly as bad as what I have to put up with on an almost daily fucking basis.

"You're the fucking Boy-Who-Lived, Harry, your celebrity status alone is enough to make most women want you. Add in your good looks, your personality, and the fact that you're fighting Voldemort tooth and nail and women literally go crazy over you. It's like last year at Hogwarts but much worse. Girls blatantly talk about what they want to do to you and all I can do is remind them that I'm your girlfriend, which admittedly tends to shut them up pretty quick. All those boys did was flirt with me, I don't see what the fucking problem is."

"The fucking problem is that this relationship has always been about you," Harry responded as they finally took their argument inside the house. "Case in point, we had barely been together for twelve hours when you practically forced me to meet your family and you didn't even tell why it was so damn urgent until mere hours before you Obliviated them. Did it ever occur to you that I knew you'd be devastated and that I'd want to be there for you? Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, I would be able to help in some way? Did it ever fucking occur to you that I might be upset about the lengths you had to go to protect your family as well?"

"They're my family Harry, not yours! You didn't have anything to do with that!" It surprised Hermione how much she had changed since getting together with Harry. She would never have even considered saying something like that to him when he was in a mood like this before; in fact she likely would have been in tears or close to it. Now wasn't the time to think about this though. By this point the two teens' yelling had attracted the attention of everyone else in the house and only Kreacher and Dobby weren't standing in the hallway in shock.

"Just because they're not my family, I can't care about them?"

"You mean like how you care about me so much that you don't let me come with you on missions? You took Ron and left me behind when you went to attack Yaxley's manor and you tried to stop me from helping you take back Hogsmeade. Who the fuck are you to decide what I can and can't do?"

"I did that to protect you!"

"Oh you were trying to protect me? You're completely fucking inconsiderate of how much I worry about you! Otherwise you wouldn't be so quick to leave me behind!"

"If your constant babying of me is any indication, then I know exactly how much you fucking worry about me! I'm your boyfriend Hermione, not your fucking child. I'm very well aware of my own limitations and I promise you that I can take care of myself too. If I thought we were in terrible danger when we attack Yaxley's manor I wouldn't have done it."

"So I'm not allowed to care for or worry about my boyfriend? That's not even what this is about and you fucking know it! This is about you trying to control the damn relationship, just like when you said that we'd both go to Slughorn's party without asking me and when you suddenly decided to let Dobby work for us. You know how I feel about house elves!"

"Dobby's a free elf, he can do whatever the fuck he wants! I gave him the option of working for us and I forced him to let us pay him!"

"Say whatever you want, it doesn't change a damn thing. And I'll be honest Harry, what really bothers me about tonight is that this isn't the first time you've acted like this! The day we took back Hogsmeade you tried to attack one of the Death Eaters after he insulted me when I was perfectly capable of defending myself. I was also more than able to stand up for myself to Malfoy and Umbridge when they insulted me. You made me look weak and dependant on when to satisfy your own ego. This relationship isn't all about you Harry Potter!"

"It isn't all about you either! And if we're going to drag ego into the picture, how about the way you snap at me for no reason? Fuck, the last time I asked you about that dream with Bellatrix you almost bit my head off because you assumed that I was insinuating that you were hiding something from me again. All I was trying to do was fucking help you if you needed it! And then there was the day we took back Hogsmeade and you snapped at me for staying at the village and helping. I needed someone to support me and let me know that I did the right thing, not tell me it was my fucking fault!" Hermione knew that if they kept yelling at each other like this, then nothing would ever be solved. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself before answering him.

"Harry, I'll admit that I've made mistakes, we both have honestly. Despite what you may think though, most of the time I've been trying to help you. I guess I have gone about it the wrong way sometimes. We're partners Harry, you said so yourself, so let me help you. Right now let me help us."

"We're only partners when it's convenient for you Hermione." Apparently Harry wasn't as ready to calm down as Hermione was yet. "We damn sure weren't partners when you decided to keep that dream from me."

"Harry I can't take you constantly bringing that back up," the brunette teen sighed. "I don't think this is working anymore. If this is how our relationship is going to be then I think it's for the best if we break up." Everything seemed to become deathly silent at Hermione's words and Harry gave her a look of disbelief. "I do, I think we need to end this now before things get worse between us." Everyone was waiting with baited breath to hear Harry's response. They were sure he was going to fight her, tell her that they belonged together. They were all shocked and disappointed.

"Fine!" the teen yelled, sounding close to tears. He turned and left the house, slamming the door on his way out. The sound seemed to cause Hermione to realize that she had just made a terrible mistake.

"Oh no," the young Witch murmured before bolting out of the door. "Harry! Harry, wait!" She was just in time to see Harry Disapparate beyond the wards surrounding the house. Hermione hung her head and went back inside in defeat.

"He Disapparated," she announced to everyone.

"So go find him," Tonks replied.

"I don't know where to look."

"That's bullshit Hermione," Ginny spoke up. "You know Harry better than he knows himself. If anyone can find him it's you."

"He won't want to be found right now Ginny. You know that Harry gets in a mood like this, it's best to leave him alone and let him sort things out on his own." It was obvious to them that she was dreading the inevitable confrontation with Harry but it would have to happen eventually.

"What he wants and what he needs are two different things right now," Remus told her. "He needs you Hermione. And you need to go to him, even though you don't want to at the moment. We all say things we don't mean when we caught up in something. I know you may be afraid that Harry will be alright with the breakup but if he was then he wouldn't have left like that. He's embarrassed about what happened and very hurt. He needs you there to comfort him." Hermione gave a half-hearted nod and went to follow Remus' advice.

Harry had absolutely no plans on being found however. As soon as he Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, he realized his mistake and Apparated to the Hog's Head instead. He knew that it would take Hermione a few minutes to come to the dingy pub if she was following him and it would give him some time. At first, he considered staying there but quickly decided against it, worrying that Aberforth would inform the other members of the Order. The teen briefly considered staying at Hogwarts but decided that Hermione would probably check there and even if she didn't, he really didn't want to deal with Umbridge. The Shrieking Shack was also a possibility but ultimately shot down when Harry realized that Hermione would likely check there too. Finally he thought of somewhere to go that absolutely disgusted him but hopefully would be the very last place Hermione would pursue him.

The Boy-Who-Lived left the Hog Heads and Apparated to Number Four Privet Drive. He couldn't believe he was coming back here again after all the years of emotional abuse, not to mention that one day they tried to kill him. The house was still well maintained but still hadn't been sold. It wasn't exactly surprising either, given the fact that three people had been found murdered inside. Harry knew he could stay there for the night, no one would notice, and Hermione most likely wouldn't check there, but he just couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to forget about everything that had happened to him over the years there. With a heavy heart, he sat outside on the front step as he tried to think of somewhere else to go. Suddenly another place dawned on him that was so outlandish to think about that he was sure the idea would never even enter Hermione's mind. He Disapparated once more and found himself standing outside the former house of the Grangers.

Unlike the Dursleys' old house, this one wasn't being maintained by anyone. Everyone must have assumed that the Grangers were on a very long trip or had suddenly decided to just abandon their house. There was no indication that it was for sale, the mailbox was completely overflowing with letters, and the yard was completely overgrown. It saddened Harry to think that this had to happen because of Hermione's association with him. On the plus side, it did give him a place to stay for the night. He cautiously walked up the front door and opened it. He had barely walked in when a wand was pointed at his throat.

* * *

><p>Hermione walked back into Grimmauld Place completely devastated. She had followed Remus' advice and did her best to track Harry down. She went to the Leaky Cauldron, the Three Broomsticks, the Hog's Head, Hogwarts, and the Shrieking Shack. She even thought about going to Privet Drive but knew that there was no way Harry would be there. Perhaps Ginny had been wrong when she said that Hermione knew Harry better than anyone else. That thought hurt the brunette Witch more than anything else. Not only did she drive away the man she loved, she might not know him as well as she thought she did.<p>

"Did you find him?" Ron asked when he saw her. He was sure he knew the answer, otherwise Harry most likely would have been with her, but he was hoping that maybe she had found him and his best friend just wanted time alone.

"N-no. I went to everywhere I thought he might be and I couldn't find him anywhere. I guess I really don't know him as well as I thought I did. Why did I have to say that? Why did I have to just the first thing that popped into my head?" Hermione fell down onto one of the couches and started crying. Ginny, Tonks, and Sophia moved to comfort her while Ron and Remus busied themselves with getting her something to drink and a potion to help calm her nerves respectively. Neville and Luna hung back and let everyone else go about their business. They were of course moved by their friend's plight but they realized that having too many people try to help her would just cause people to get in each other's way.

When Hermione finally calmed down enough to stop crying, Tonks asked her for information. Though Hermione really didn't want to tell them, she realized that talking about it would help and she might even be able to find out where they went wrong. She relayed to them everything that happened from the time the movie was over until the time the two of them returned home. Everyone silently and patiently waited for her to finish before asking any other questions or giving their input. For the most part they all said the same thing: Harry's reaction was out of line but Hermione shouldn't have made as big of a deal about it until the date was over. They all reminded her that there was a time and a place for everything, as Harry had mentioned before, and that the best time to reprimand your significant other for doing something that you didn't like was probably best done after the date.

As Hermione listened, she realized that some of the points Harry made in their argument weren't just his opinions, they were hard facts about her personality. She did tend to treat him like a child on occasion and she snapped at him for no real reason. The entire thing boiled down to one reason: Hermione knew she was smarter than Harry and subconsciously she thought she knew better than him. Everyone had pointed out time and again that Harry tended to follow his gut whereas she followed her logic. Perhaps that was the key to a successful relationship, following your gut and not thinking about things as much. While it was true that she was following Harry's gut more often, she still wasn't following hers at all really; it was something she would have to work on at some point. She was too upset to even think about that tonight though.

"I'm going to stay here with her tonight," Tonks announced. Ron, Ginny, and Remus all agreed and bid their own significant others farewell, away from Hermione's eyes and ears of course.

"I hope everything works out for them," Neville said as he, Luna, and Sophia walked into the kitchen.

"Young ones usually tend to break up and get back together several times," Sophia responded. "Though in their case, they're only young on the outside. Both of them are mentally more mature than many people my age. It's hard to tell what's going to happen but I believe that they'll work things out." Luna was too absorbed in the night's events to really take part in the conversation. She never thought she would see Harry and Hermione of all people fight like that and it honestly worried her. She could only hope that Sophia was right.

Shadow breathed a heavy sigh outside of Grimmauld Place. He knew that this argument was coming, he knew that they were going to break up, he knew that Harry was going to leave with a broken heart, and yet there was nothing he could do about it. This was another one of those things that had to happen. It was terrible, there was no denying that, but in the end it would serve a purpose. Up until now, Harry and Hermione had been mostly living in the moment, not giving much thought to the future of their relationship. This would change that. It would also end up changing both of them for the better and make them even more capable when the situation called for it. He didn't like it of course, he hated to see either of them in any kind of pain, but he had learned years ago that there can be severe consequences for disturbing the wheel of fate. For now, all he could was offer silent condolences to both of them and hope that this would resolve itself sooner rather than later.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I know most of you may not like this chapter, but it serves a purpose. Just bear with me for a bit and it'll all be clear.<strong>


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I promise.**

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><p><span><strong>Master of Puppets<strong>

_"Harry Potter is not your priority Dolores."_

Hermione woke the next morning from a very uneasy sleep. Her body missed the warmth and comfort that Harry's provided. Without thinking about it, she ran her hand over the empty side of the bed where her boyfriend would normally be. She could only hope that wherever he was, he was safe.

"Harry." Her voice was low and mournful, almost pleading for him to materialize out of thin air. Not willing to remain alone with her thoughts any longer than necessary, Hermione put a robe around herself and went down to the kitchen. Finding no one else in the room, she set about making tea in an attempt to keep her mind off of the previous night. She had just started when Kreacher appeared, temporarily shocking the young Witch out of her thoughts.

"Kreacher can make that Mistress Hermione."

"That's alright Kreacher, I want to make it myself this morning." Kreacher heard the sadness in her voice and, not knowing the reason Harry wasn't there, assumed she was upset because of his mere absence.

"Don't worry miss. Kreacher is sure Master Harry will return safely." Hermione appreciated the small elf's attempt to console her, thought it failed, and favored him with a small smile.

"Thanks Kreacher. I'm sure you're right." Kreacher bowed to her.

"Kreacher is happy to help miss." The diminutive elf vanished with a pop just before Remus and Tonks walked in. Remus poured some tea into one of the goblets and sat across from Hermione while Tonks completely ignored the beverage and sat by the younger woman. Now that Hermione had company, she wasn't sure she really wanted it.

"You miss him don't you?" Tonks suddenly asked. Hermione simply nodded, her eyes never leaving the table. "So why aren't you back out there trying to find him again and make sure he's alright?"

"Harry will come back after he's calmed down, or at least I hope he will. I don't know where else to look either. I've thought about it and I really have no idea where else he could be. Besides, as much as I miss him, I've been thinking since last night and I'm not sure we're supposed to be together. It seems right now that we're only still together because we're never really together."

"That's complete and utter bullshit," Ginny said as she came in. "You're only using that as an excuse. Look, it's very simple. Do you love Harry?"

"Of course," Hermione answered instantly.

"Does he love you?"

"Yes." Again Hermione answered without hesitation.

"Are you two happy together?"

"Yes. I know that every relationship has trouble but even then we're still happy."

"And could you live without him? Think about it. If he never came back, would you be able to go on?" Hermione did as she was told and thought back over the years. It honestly wasn't difficult.

Harry risked his life to save hers from a troll, even though they weren't friends at the time. When she was Petrified, he only left her side when it was absolutely necessary. She told McGonagall her suspicions about his Firebolt, even though she knew he'd be angry with her. She stayed by his side when everyone else believed he put his name in the Goblet of Fire; for a few months it was literally them against the entire school. She defended him when the Ministry put him down, even going so far as to snap at Lavender Brown, and accompanied him to the Department of Mysteries. He stood by her and comforted her when Ron ran off with Lavender, despite his own heartbreak over Ginny and Dean. When she sent her family to the States, she wasn't as torn about it as she could have been because she had Harry.

Over the years they had ingrained themselves into each other's life and they occupied a special place the other's heart that no one else would ever be able to fill. He was her rock and she knew that she was his. They were far better together than they were apart. They were one, two halves of a whole. They completed each other.

"No," Hermione finally answered. "No I couldn't live without him. How can I feel like this though? We're just teenagers."

"You're teenagers with the minds of fifty-year-olds," Remus clarified. "Besides, you've pretty much been together since your third year at least."

"From what Sirius told me, Remus is absolutely right," Tonks added. "I don't know what love is Hermione, but I know I see it with you two. When you're together you light up the room. That's why everyone was looking at you two during Bill and Fleur's wedding: they were comparing the similarities between you. You and Harry are really in love, it's not the typical teenage bullshit most people your age go through."

"So why did he leave then?"

"You hurt him more than he's ever been hurt," Ginny spoke up again. "We told you before that you think too much. This was your first date in weeks and you got in a fight, so your brain is telling you that your relationship only works if you don't have time to be with each other. Harry does think about things too, but he follows his instincts just as much. He's already realized what you just now figured out. Hell a few weeks ago he told Ron and me that he was determined to live through this war for you."

"That's not the only problem," Ron's voice reached them from the doorway. He stumbled to the table and collapsed in a chair before following Remus' example of getting tea. "The problem is you two don't resolve your problems like you should," the redhead continued after draining nearly half of his goblet. "Everything that you two rowed about last night was because of some kind of problem you'd had before that you didn't put to rest."

"Yes we did. We discussed those problems before and set them aside."

"Exactly, you just set them aside. You didn't fix the problem."

"That's actually a very good point," Remus stepped in again. "You might have talked about your problems but you obviously didn't resolve them, otherwise you wouldn't have brought them up again last night. There's more to just solving a problem in a relationship than sitting down and talking about it. You have to understand why the other person acted the way they did and take that into consideration. You have to realize that the other person is going to have different beliefs than you and, instead of trying to fight that or change them, accept that. Let's use what started the entire row to begin with, Harry's desire to stand up for you. Do you really know why he did that, why he has that desire?" Remus' query caused a rare phenomenon: Hermione drew a blank as she struggled to answer a question she didn't really know the answer to.

"I just assumed it was because he was my boyfriend and he feels like he has to protect me," she finally responded, completely unsure of her answer.

"Well yes that's true, but it goes deeper than that. The reason he feels he has to protect you is because many men, especially around your age, believe that every woman wants to be with them, even if they're in a relationship. If the boyfriend or husband or fiancé or whoever doesn't stand up to them himself, they believe that they still have a chance with the woman. As long as Harry stands up for you himself, even if the other bloke is taller and bigger than he is, it lets everyone know that you're off the market. It's archaic, but until Harry claims you as his, so to speak, almost every other male who's interested in you is going to try to get you to leave Harry."

"I don't really understand, that doesn't make a lot of sense. If I say no, then that should be good enough and they should leave me alone. If I make it clear that I'm with Harry and I'm happy, that should tell them that I'm not interested." Ron answered her again before Remus could.

"A lot of men believe that, even if you're in a happy relationship, if they push hard enough and show you what they have to offer and that they're superior to your significant other, you'll leave whoever you're with for them. It's up to Harry to set boundaries for other blokes to let them know that you're off-limits, that you're his. By the same token, it's up to you to set boundaries for other girls letting them know that Harry belongs to you and that he's off limits to them."

"I know that it sounds outdated, possibly even prehistoric," Remus picked back up, "but don't think of it as him claiming you or you claiming him. Think of it as you belonging to each other, because in a way you do. Not from the point of either of you being an object, but from the point of your emotions, that your love belongs to him and his love belongs to you. But that's beside the point right now. In order to fully resolve your issues and finally lay them to rest, you need to have a better understanding of each other. You need to be prepared to discuss uncomfortable subjects and you have to be open about them. Yelling and arguing with each other accomplishes nothing in a relationship, though I'm sure you know that by now."

Hermione didn't have the chance to say anything before they heard the door open. Though they were all hopeful, none more so than Hermione, they were refusing to dismiss the notion that it could be someone hostile to them. The five of them sat with their wands all pointed at the kitchen door, poised to attack the person if need be. The breath they didn't realize they were all holding was collectively exhaled as the door opened to reveal a tall teenager with glasses, jet black hair, and emerald green eyes.

"Harry!" Hermione's yell pierced through the silence and she rushed around the table and bound into him, throwing her arms around him as she did. The fact that he just stood there without returning her greeting didn't seem to dawn on her, nor did she notice the injuries he had. "I'm so sorry about last night sweetheart. I was stupid for ever even thinking that, let alone saying it. I don't want us to be apart anymore. I love you and I'm really sorry that I said I wanted to break up. Can you forgive me?" She paused and stood back away from him, finally realizing that he wasn't hugging her back and that he was sporting new wounds. "What happened to you?"

"It's a good thing you decided to send your family away, otherwise they might not be here right now," Harry responded, completely ignoring everything she just said. "At least now they're safe." It shocked everyone that he was speaking to her as if she was a stranger but to Hermione, it felt like a slap in the face. She wasn't sure what part to focus on first. She was understandably afraid for her family, but her logical mind told her that they were safe and not the most important issue right now. She knew that she should be more concerned about the fact that Harry was hurt, but again the logical side told her he was standing before her so he wasn't in much agony. The one thing that she couldn't wrap her mind around was that he was ignoring her attempt to apologize and mend their relationship.

"Why are you doing this Harry? Don't you want us to be together?" Tears were starting to roll down her face now.

"Why did you end the relationship last night?" His voice was scathing and the words cut into Hermione like hot knives. Still, she wasn't going to let him just say whatever he wanted without at least telling him her side of the story.

"Because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time! I thought we didn't belong together! I thought that we were fighting too much for a normal couple!"

"Fighting too much? That was the first time we had really fought since that damn dream! How the hell can you say we were fighting too much? That was just one time! Every couple has moments like that!"

"I realize that now but I didn't at the time. I thought we only worked because we hadn't had time to be together lately. I thought that, since we were spending time with each other and not working, that our bliss before was just because the relationship was new. I didn't realize how much I need you last night. Harry, you're everything I'm not and I need you here, by my side."

"Then you shouldn't have broken up with me." Harry's voice was calm and somewhat cold, bringing looks of disbelief to the face of everyone in the room. Hermione's mouth dropped open as she realized that Harry wasn't planning on accepting her apology, his next words further cementing the idea. "You can stay here until school starts back up." Without saying anything else, the brunette Witch ran out of the room with angry tears flowing down her face. No one spoke as Harry walked over the stove and turned it on to start making breakfast.

"Does anyone want anything?" he asked the others, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Harry, mate, don't you think you should-"

"Save it Ron. She hurt me more than you can imagine last night. I'm not going to let it happen again."

"So you're what, trying to hurt her as much as she hurt you?"

"No, I'm not putting myself in that position again. She proved that she doesn't love me."

"Yes she does Harry," Ginny told him. "We had to help her realize just how much, but she really does. You know that Hermione is very logical and tends to think too much. She thought too much last night and her mind jumped to conclusions that her heart didn't agree with." Harry grunted, neither wanting nor allowing himself to believe Ginny's words.

"You're just angry right now," Remus added. "Give it time and you'll calm down. Just don't do anything to hurt her even more, otherwise you might ruin any chance you have of getting back together."

"I don't really care Remus. Does anyone want anything to eat or not?" They all looked at each other, recognizing that Harry was being too stubborn for any of them to change his mind right now. They all had no doubt that he didn't really mean what he said, but he would have to work through his emotions on his own. For now the best thing they could do was go along with him.

"I'll take something to eat Harry," Tonks finally said. The others reluctantly agreed and sat back down at the table as Harry started cooking. "So what happened to you? I don't remember that cut over your eye or your busted lip last night. Not to mention that bruise on your left cheek."

"Apparently Voldemort is employing the use of Snatchers now." Harry's response was indifferent as he continued to prepare their food. "Their job is to literally Snatch anyone who Voldemort feels may be a threat or an asset to him. I'm assuming they were there to get Hermione's family so they could hopefully have leverage over her. I have no idea why they waited until just now to do it, I don't even think they knew for sure, but that group won't bother us again." The others looked at each other again, all wondering if Harry might have purposefully killed for the first time.

"What did you do to them mate?" Ron asked, trepidation in his voice.

"Same thing we did when we took Hogsmeade back the first time. It's hard for anyone to fight back when they're missing their wand and a few important limbs."

"Oh. Well how did you find out about them then?"

"The Cruciatus Curse and my Lightning Spell make it very easy to extract information from people. When neither of them work, Legilimency always does."

"I think what Ron meant was how exactly were you able to get them into position to do that," Ginny responded. "We all know what you're capable of but from the way it sounds, and how you look, you were vastly outnumbered."

"You really have so little faith in me Ginny?" Harry's face was completely neutral but they could hear the mirth in his voice, even if it was faint. "I think the element of surprise was on my side actually, which seems very odd to say. They put a wand to my throat as soon as I walked in, I guess they might have thought I was one of the Grangers or something, but slightly panicked when they realized exactly who I was. They started arguing about what to do with me and I just used that to my advantage. It wasn't easy of course, and I have the wounds to show for it obviously, but they fell rather quickly, all things considering. They actually put up more of a fight than I had anticipated."

It wasn't long before breakfast was ready and Harry set almost all the food gently on the table with a wave of his wand. He put what was left on the stove on a separate plate and called Kreacher to have him bring it to Hermione, ordering him to tell her that the elf cooked it himself. The others lightly smiled at the gesture, knowing that Harry still cared for Hermione very much despite his words earlier. The raven-haired teen finally sat at the table and began eating, oblivious to everyone else's facial expressions.

Hermione was in the room she had slept in two years ago, after moving her things from Harry's room, when Kreacher popped in with a plate of food for her. The elf claimed to have fixed it himself but the teen couldn't shake the feeling that Harry had done it. If that was true, it only served to confuse and hurt her even more. If Harry was willing to cook for her and make sure that she was taken care of, why didn't he want to get back together with her? Was he deliberately trying to hurt her by showing her what she was missing, was that it? She wasn't sure but she didn't want to think about it right now. She was hungrier than she realized and all she wanted to do was eat, which she proceeded to do before anyone could come check on her.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was unique for most of the people in Grimmauld Place. Harry and Hermione were doing their best to avoid the other and the others were quickly becoming fed up with their stubbornness. It was obvious to everyone that both Harry and Hermione were letting their egos keep them apart and it was frustrating. The other four wanted them to get back together, their relationship was a nice contrast to the looming threat of Voldemort, but there was only so much they could do to help.<p>

They tried their best to get them to forgive each other, mostly for Harry to forgive Hermione, but it wasn't working out like they hoped. Ron and Ginny had both tried to subtly remind Harry of how much better things were with Hermione but he brushed them off. Tonks wasn't at all subtle about her attempts to remind Harry that without Hermione, there would be no one for him to have sex with. Though it was crude, they all knew that Harry just needed that initial push. Remus tried to reason with the teen using his parents' relationship as an example. In the end, nothing they did or said to Harry made much of a difference.

Hermione was oddly proving to be just as stubborn as Harry was, if not even more so. She didn't bat an eye when Ron reminded her that she and Harry had trouble sleeping without each other. When Ginny tried to make Hermione aware of how Harry's temper could affect him and that she might need to approach him, the brunette teen pretended not to hear her. Tonks' discussion about sex didn't do anything for her either and Remus didn't really even know what to say that he hadn't already tried with Harry.

In the end, all four of them decided that there wasn't anything they could do to remedy the situation. This was a problem between Harry and Hermione, a major problem but a problem nonetheless, and they would have to work it out for themselves. The tension that filled the house was still incredibly strong when the other Order members began arriving for the meeting that night. It was so noticeable that only a very few people didn't ask about it. Harry and Hermione wouldn't talk about it of course and the others didn't think it was their place to say, leaving most people to wonder what was going on. It further confused them when Harry sat at the front of the room while Hermione took a chair in the back next to Ginny.

"Alright, the first thing I want to say tonight is that this will be the last meeting until after the holidays," Harry began. "I know that Voldemort doesn't take holidays but we are. This will help give everyone else a sense of ease, knowing that even the Order is taking the time to celebrate with their loved ones. I'm hoping that it will make people think that we've got things under control too, that there's not much for them to fear if we can take the time to relax for a couple of weeks.

"I also want everyone to make sure that your family, immediate, extended, whatever, is safe and well aware of everything that's going on. I was at Ms. Granger's house last night, well what used to be her family's house, and I encountered a group of Snatchers. Apparently these Snatchers are abducting anyone Voldemort believes is a threat to him or anyone that he can use as leverage. I'm sure he's aware that everyone here is part of the Order and it's not unbelievable that he'll target your families to try to get to you. So spend time with them and make sure that they're well prepared for attacks." The fact that Harry referred to Hermione as "Ms. Granger" wasn't overlooked, and neither was the sound of disbelief she made in the back at hearing about the Snatchers. It was obvious that this was the first time she was hearing about them.

Despite Hermione's reaction to the news, she didn't say anything at the time and the rest of the meeting progressed without incident. No one truly believed the brunette to let the incident slide and their expectations were proven true at the end of the meeting. When Harry adjourned the meeting everyone began talking to each other while Hermione busied herself trying to get to Harry. When she made her way to him, she found him in a conversation with Kingsley. Normally she would be polite enough to at least ask Kingsley if he would let her talk to Harry, but right now she was too angry for proper etiquette.

"What the hell Harry?" she demanded. Harry nodded at Kingsley and dismissed him before turning around to face the unhappy young Witch. "Why am I just now finding out about this?"

"You know that I'm safe and I had Ron tell you that your family is safe. It wouldn't have done any good for you to know anything else. You would have panicked."

"You still should've told me about the damn Snatchers earlier!"

"How could I Hermione? You've been avoiding me all day and this wasn't something I wanted someone else to tell you. Besides, what would you have done it I told you? There really isn't much you could have done except panic and worry."

"That's beside the point Harry. I want to know if there's a threat against my family. You wouldn't understand, you don't have-"

Everyone let out a small gasp when Hermione stopped short. They all knew that she was going to say that Harry doesn't have a family but she was fortunate enough to be able to stop herself. It was never alright to bring that up and Harry's neutral face made it very difficult to tell how he felt about her near slip of the tongue, though Hermione could sense that he wasn't angry.

"Thank you for not finishing that sentence Hermione. I may not have an actual family but you and your family fulfilled that role for me once and I still care about them. I was worried about them too and 'Dora told me that our Ministry collaborates with the Ministry in the States. I asked Kingsley earlier if he could convince them to check on your family and he just now told me that they're safe. Don't ever act like I don't care about your family again." Hermione's mouth repeatedly opened and closed as she processed what Harry just told her, and the implications behind it. On the one hand, Hermione knew that taking the time to make sure that her family was safe meant that Harry really did care about them, and by extension her. On the other hand, he didn't care enough to tell her about the Snatchers before the meeting. Or maybe it really was because he was doing what he thought was best for her, as he had implied. Either way, Hermione didn't really want to think too much about it anymore.

* * *

><p>The air shimmered as Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and a few other select Death Eaters Apparated just outside of the gates to Hogwarts. Ever since hearing about the students rallying behind Harry Potter against Umbridge a few weeks ago, Voldemort had been very displeased with the Headmistress. He wanted to make sure that she knew exactly how displeased he was by making a physical appearance himself, but he had decided that coming to Hogwarts while the students were still there probably wasn't wise, even for him. As a result, this was the first opportunity he had had to come and he was going to take full advantage of it.<p>

The group walked down the corridors with a malicious presence about them. Voldemort was on a mission and Heaven help anyone who tried to stop him. Fortunately they met no one on their way to Umbridge's office, not that they really expected to. Malfoy gave the gargoyle the password and they moved up to the Head's office.

To say that Dolores Umbridge was shocked when the door to her office flew open was an understatement. She was rendered nearly speechless when she saw who was standing in the doorway. Nevertheless, the Headmistress still had the presence of mind to stand up from behind her desk and bow to Voldemort.

"My lord," the short, toad-like woman greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit tonight?"

"It was brought to my attention that a few weeks ago you caused the overwhelming majority of the students here to rally against you. That makes it difficult for our plan here to succeed."

"My lord, Harry Potter is-"

"Harry Potter is not your priority Dolores. I had you put here because I thought you were the best person to be able to enlighten all the children to the superiority of purebloods and our beliefs. Potter is my priority, my target, and I will end him myself."

"But my lord, the students rally around Potter. If I could just-"

"Enough! Do not defy Lord Voldemort Dolores! _Crucio_! You will leave Potter alone and focus on the other students. Do you understand?" From her spot on the floor, Umbridge whimpered and tried to nod to the Dark Lord, though that was proving difficult.

Behind Voldemort, Bellatrix cringed as she watched her master apply the Cruciatus Curse to Umbridge with sadistic pleasure. She was suddenly disgusted with the Dark Lord and her own fanatical following of him over the years. Yes, she did believe in the superiority of blood purity but she finally realized that Voldemort didn't care about anyone other than himself. Despite the sexual attraction she felt to him, the Dark Lord continued to view Bellatrix as nothing more than a pawn in his attempt to seize power, the same as he saw all his followers. Despite the sensibleness of Umbridge's plan, there was no way they would be able to convince the students of the righteousness of their ideals if they followed Potter, Voldemort was determined to do things his way. Bellatrix felt no sympathy for the stupid woman, she should have kept her mouth shut, but she still appreciated the situation the Headmistress was in. Nevertheless, if Voldemort wanted to take care of Potter himself there wasn't anything the rest of them could do about it.

When Voldemort felt as though he had gotten his point across, he released Umbridge from the effects of the curse and turned to leave with only one more word of warning to the short woman. Lost as she was in her thoughts, Bellatrix almost didn't notice that everyone else was leaving. She turned on her heel and followed after her master, careful to conceal her thoughts from him, not that she really had any need to. Voldemort believed her to be one of his most loyal followers, along with Snape, and he had no reason to probe her mind if he didn't suspect anything. In his arrogance, Voldemort believed that he understood Bellatrix well enough to know exactly what was going on in her head, making Legilimency completely unnecessary. The trip back to the front gates was almost identical to the trip to Umbridge's office, with no one speaking at all until they arrived outside the castle.

"Leave me," Voldemort demanded of his followers as he came to a stop. They all looked slightly confused but continued to walk towards the gates. Bellatrix was the only one to stay behind.

"My lord-"

"I said leave me Bellatrix." The glare he was giving her was more effective than a Silencing Charm and Bellatrix darted away as if Voldemort had slapped her. When Voldemort was satisfied that he was alone, he cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself that hid him from his own eyes and stalked towards Dumbledore's grave. The object he had been searching for months for lay in the marble tomb, just beyond his reach. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. There was hardly anyone here to see him and by the time people came back and realized what had happened, no one would have any idea or reason to suspect that he had something to do with it. Not that he cared if people knew of course, he was the most powerful Wizard alive after all, but he didn't want people to know that he had the Elder Wand and give them a chance to possibly prepare against it. He especially didn't want Potter to know. Potter's power had seemed to grow exponentially since the end of June and he always seemed to be able to counter everything Voldemort threw at him. This time would be different.

The Dark Lord walked up to the tomb of the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts ever had and surveyed it. He was sure that Dumbledore would have made sure there were some kind of enchantments around it, something to keep people away from it. He was vastly disappointed though. There was absolutely nothing keeping anyone from walking from up to the grave and doing whatever they pleased. The idea that this lack of security was one of the tomb's best protections was lost on Voldemort. He never once thought about the fact that people would be more likely to leave the tomb alone if it didn't stand out.

Unperturbed, though still disappointed, Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at the marble. He slowly drew a line from top to bottom, the tomb cracking open behind the magical instrument. When he stopped his movements, the marble split in two and fell to either side. There, laying in the tomb, was Albus Dumbledore, looking for all intents and purposes as if he was sleeping. His body was perfectly preserved, there was a light smile on his face, and his hands were folded over his stomach and clutching the object of Voldemort's desires.

With a sadistic smile, the Dark Lord reached forwards and slid the wand from Dumbledore's grasp. Sparks flew from the end of it as his fingers wrapped around the wood. In his glee, Voldemort pointed the wand into the sky and unleashed an immensely powerful spell. He could feel the power pulsating through the wand and he truly believed that finally things were going to go back to the way they should be: him and his Death Eaters running roughshod over the country and making everyone fear them again. Without a word, Voldemort walked to the gates and Disapparated back to Malfoy Manor.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I want to take a second to make note of how Harry acts after the Order meeting. He's still hurt and angry with Hermione, but he doesn't show it. He's decided that he can be upset with her and still be cordial. And I know that he tends to get angry when someone puts down his family, but he realized that Hermione didn't think before she almost said that and that she wasn't trying to hurt him.<strong>


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note: I know I said I wanted to update this chapter by the 23rd but I'm only a day late, so I'll take it. I hope it's to your liking. Merry Christmas everybody!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

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><p><span><strong>Merry Christmas From the Family<strong>

_"I wish you were here."_

It was two days before Christmas and just slightly over a week since Harry and Hermione broke up. The cheerful and festive look of Grimmauld Place was brought down by the dreary, and at times hostile, atmosphere the two human inhabitants had created. Though they weren't actively ignoring each other anymore, they didn't talk much either. Whenever they did speak to each other it usually quickly descended into an argument, causing Crookshanks to go into hiding until long after the yelling had stopped and Dobby and Kreacher to busy themselves with cleaning the house, at time even going so far as to make a mess just so they actually had something to clean.

The hostility was taking its toll on the teens' friends as well. Everyone knew that they wanted to get back together but their egos and stubbornness were keeping them apart. It nearly drove Ron crazy every time he saw Harry look at Hermione with longing when the raven-haired teen thought no one would notice. Ginny went through a similar experience whenever Hermione spoke of Harry with thinly veiled love. Even McGonagall and Mad-Eye seemed somewhat distraught at the turn of events.

They had hoped that either Harry or Hermione would make the necessary first step before Christmas but, as it was already early evening of December twenty-third, they were losing hope that would happen. None of them wanted to spend Christmas with a Harry and Hermione that didn't speak to each other so they decided it was time for them to intervene. Ron, Tonks, and Ginny stepped out of the fireplace just as the two had finished their dinner, or Harry had anyway as indicated by the dishes he was currently washing. Without saying anything, Tonks went to fetch Hermione, making sure that the younger Witch left her wand behind. As soon as they walked back in the kitchen, Ron Disarmed Harry and Summoned his wand while Ginny magically locked the door.

"Sit," Ron ordered before either of his friends could question them. "It's time for this shit between you two to stop. You want to get back together, we know it, you know it, so why the hell are you being so damn stubborn about it? Harry, I know she hurt you when she broke up with you because she was basically trying to take the easy way out, but is it really worth being like this? She might have hurt you but doing that caused her to realize how much you mean to her."

"It shouldn't have taken something like that to make her realize that," Harry said. Hermione opened her mouth to defend herself but Ginny held up her hand to silence her friend.

"No it shouldn't have," the youngest Weasley acknowledged, "but the important thing is that she did realize it, and that she realized it now instead of when it was too late. Hermione is a very logical person, you know that Harry, and it takes her longer to accept things like this than someone who listens to their intuition as much as you do. And it's good that she doesn't go with her instincts as much as you, because you balance each other out. You can't fault her for being logical and thinking about things, even if she does think too much sometimes. Now Hermione, I know you're upset that Harry didn't tell you about the Snatchers at your family's house but you have to realize that he did what he thought was best. He knew that you assume the worst and worry yourself over nothing."

"He still should've told me." Before Harry could utter a single word in retaliation, Ron cut him off.

"Don't say anything Harry. You're right Hermione, he should've told you, but the fact that he didn't, the fact that he cares so much about you even when you two are at odds with each other, should tell you how much you mean to him. Even with everything that's happened lately, he still thought about you first, even if it was an odd way to show it. The point is that he made sure to let you know that your family is safe without giving you unnecessary reason to worry. Do you really think he would've taken the time to do that if he didn't care about you?"

"It's obvious that, despite the hurt and anger you may feel, you still love each other very much and want to be together." Tonks spoke for the first time since coming in. "You have to realize that every relationship goes through things like this. Running away because it's suddenly hard or not what you were expecting isn't the answer and neither is trying to hurt the other person to even things out, so to speak. When two people really care about each other, they don't break up just because they have a fight." Those last two sentences resonated with Harry and Hermione more than anything else that had been said so far and they both realized how immature they had been. They looked at each other and simultaneously rose from their chairs, joining hands as they did. With a quick word of thanks to them, Harry grabbed his wand from Ron, unlocked the door, and nearly dragged an eager Hermione behind him.

The three looked at each other in confusion until they heard a door slam shut on what sounded like the second floor and the unmistakable sounds of Hermione's moans. Their looks of confusion immediately turned to that of embarrassed understanding and they started wracking their brains for something, anything, to talk about. Before they could even say one word, the sound of an almighty crash reached their ears. Ron was the first one to realize that it was probably a piece of the furniture.

"If they don't break everything in that room, I'll buy you both a butterbeer," Tonks said with a touch of humor.

"I guess that was really all they needed," Ginny began, "someone to just sit them down and work things out for them. They didn't want to see the other's point of view. I knew Harry would be stubborn about it but I never expected Hermione to act like that too."

"Being with Harry has really changed her," Ron responded. "Some of it's been for the worse, but mostly he's changed her for the better. If nothing else, she's a lot calmer now, for the most part at least." The end of Ron's statement was punctuated by the sound of something else breaking. "Er, maybe it's best if we let ourselves out. I don't think they're going to be coming back out here anytime soon." The two Witches agreed with him and they disappeared into the fireplace one by one.

* * *

><p>Harry was lying in bed on his side with his right arm supporting Hermione's head and his left arm around her. Their left hands were entwined and both were panting heavily. Strewn around them was broken furniture of every kind, with only the bed and, miraculously, the nightstand still intact. They weren't sure what time it was, or how long they had been in the bedroom, but they knew that their lovemaking had so far lasted for several hours. Though they had built up a great deal of endurance since Harry's birthday, even they had their limits and, as much as they would have loved to continue, they knew that they would have to rest soon. Their bodies just didn't have the energy to keep going for much longer.<p>

At the time that didn't matter too much to them. The important thing was that they had made up and were emotionally back to the point where they could have sex. It wasn't until this moment that they both realized how much they missed physical intimacy with each other. For them, it wasn't just about sex anymore. Yes, the sex was still amazing and they both loved it, but it had gone beyond that. Their intimacy was more than merely physical now and the emotion they felt every time they made love was more than anyone else could ever do. They both knew that they were stuck with each other for life, since no one else could fill the void their absence would create. Not that either of them minded that fact.

Truthfully though, this was just a bandage over the wound that had been created. They both knew that in order to fully heal and close the injury, they would have to have a long discussion and lay some important things to rest, not least of which were the subjects of their arguments. It would be difficult, they were well aware of that fact, but they understood that this was something that had to be done to ensure that nothing like this happened again. That was one thing that they were both grateful about: now the relationship had matured and they were taking it more seriously. Before the breakup, they both assumed that they were almost invincible and that nothing could ever tear them apart. Now they knew that there was no such thing as a perfect relationship and that a good relationship was based on how you settled your disagreements, not that you didn't have any in the first place.

"You know," Harry began, as he studied his and Hermione's joined hands, "the breakup was terrible, but I'm not sorry it happened. I am sorry I hurt you, but I feel like the breakup served a purpose. It might have been extreme but we learned from it."

"You're right," Hermione agreed. "It helped strengthen our relationship and we really grew up because of it. We've both always been mature for our age of course, but the relationship wasn't and it's suffered because of that. We're really lucky actually. I've heard that when people break up and get back together, the fire they had before usually isn't as intense but it burns much longer." Harry let out a mirthful laugh before responding.

"I think we've got the intensity covered, if these last several hours have been any indication. Do you have any idea how long we've been in here by the way?"

"Not really. It looks like it's eleven o'clock now, so more than three hours. And I don't know about you but I'm getting really tired." Hermione's exhaustion was beginning to manifest itself as she started slurring her words. "My mind wants to stay awake but my body won't let me. Maybe we can finish this up tomorrow?" Harry nodded his agreement and the two reunited lovers drifted off to sleep before any of them could say another word.

They both woke up at eight the next morning and, after another few rounds of sex, finally got out of the bed for the first time in over twelve hours. They cooked breakfast together, which they hadn't done it nearly a month, and sat at the table casually talking as they ate. It wasn't until that moment that they both fully realized how much they had missed each other over the past week. Even something as simple as eating together was much better when they were with someone than when they were alone. One thing they were both aware of though, even as they ate, was that they couldn't spend all their time together. This was proven when, after they finished eating, Hermione went to finish up the homework she had left while Harry went back upstairs to fix the broken furniture before watching the television. Oddly enough, he had already finished his homework a few days into the break. Around one o'clock, they heard the fireplace roar and Ron's voice announcing his and Luna's presence.

"Ah, good, you two are finished making up," the redhead said when the two came into the kitchen. He sat down at the table with Luna taking the seat beside him while Harry and Hermione sat opposite him.

"Yes, we've made up, for the time being at least," Hermione responded with a grin. "And we really want to thank you for your help Ron. And Ginny and 'Dora as well, but neither of them are here right now."

"Well you can always thank them tomorrow. You're still having Christmas here right?" Harry nodded.

"Of course. It's the first Christmas we're celebrating as a couple and we want all our friends to show up, so that includes you Luna. We'll be disappointed if you aren't here." Luna smiled at Harry's words.

"Daddy and I are going to have our Christmas tomorrow morning and then I'll be here in the afternoon. Oh I hope he can find me a horn." Before Hermione could ask what Luna was talking about, Ron gave her a look that clearly said not to ask. The sight made Harry laugh, which he tried to pass off as a violent cough. It seemed that, despite the affection they felt for each other, Ron still couldn't take too much of listening to Luna's imaginary creatures. It was understandable of course; while it was nice that Luna had an imagination and was strong-willed enough to hold onto her beliefs, it could get tiring to listen to them all the time. Nevertheless, they all loved Luna, Ron more than the other two obviously, and were more than happy to listen to her and even indulge in her fantasies at times.

"I'm glad you two got back together," Luna continued, clearly not noticing the exchange. "I thought you might be suffering from nargles in the mistletoe at first. It was odd to see you two break up like that." Harry and Hermione looked at each other, neither completely sure if the last two sentences were supposed to comforting.

"Er, thanks Luna, I think," Harry responded. "We're glad to be back together too. No offense you two, but is there a reason you're over here? We weren't expecting anyone together and we really don't have much to offer other than the usual butterbeer."

"That's fine with me." The words had barely left Ron's mouth before he had risen from his chair and walked over to the refrigerator. He pulled out two butterbeers and walked back to the table, handing one to Luna as he sat back down. He took a long drink from the beverage before answering them. "No, we really don't have a reason for coming over. I wanted to know how things went last night, though I had a pretty good idea already, and Luna wanted to come with me. I thought that maybe we could just spend time together today, since it's really the first day we've had to hang out since school let out. Well, it's the first time all three of us have been able to hang out without you two being upset with each other."

"Ronald, you just had lunch ten minutes ago," Luna suddenly chastised him as he drained the last of his butterbeer. "Harry and Hermione were nice enough to give you their drinks and you've already finished it."

"What? I was thirsty." Luna looked at Harry and Hermione and gave them an apologetic look. They waved off the apology, both having gotten used to Ron's behavior long ago. Harry got the redhead another butterbeer, also taking the opportunity to grab one for himself and Hermione, and the four of them followed up on Ron's idea, spending the rest of the day together as nothing more than teenagers.

* * *

><p>Hermione woke the next morning with a very pleasant sensation: Harry's morning erection pressing into her bum. As much as she wanted to do something about it, the fact that it was Christmas morning overpowered that urge and she carefully slipped out from beneath the covers. She looked out the window and was overjoyed to see that there was nearly a foot of snow on the ground and more continued to fall. Despite the fact that she was eighteen years old, Hermione had the same excitement on Christmas that she had had since she was a little girl. There was just something about this day that brought out the child in her. She stood at the window admiring the snow as she satisfyingly stretched her naked form.<p>

Behind her, she could hear Harry shuffling around on the bed and waking up when he realized that she wasn't in there with him. His head quickly turned as he looked for her, spotting her from her position at the window. He quietly crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection. His erection pressed into her again and Hermione couldn't help but giggle, knowing that he couldn't control his body at this early in the morning. She was thankful that he obviously wasn't interested in sex right now and that his holding her was simply an act of endearment.

"Happy Christmas Hermione," the young Wizard softly said as he watched the snow with her.

"Happy Christmas Harry." Hermione smile as she thought about how close to perfect this scene was. The only wish she had was that they were wearing clothes instead of standing in the buff, but that was a minor detail that she had no problem overlooking for the moment. The two of them stood at the window for several minutes just watching the snow until Harry's stomach growled loudly, announcing that it was demanding to be fed. "I guess we'll have to watch the snow some other time," the brunette Witch sighed. The words had barely left her mouth when her own stomach added its growling noises to Harry's.

The two teens reluctantly turned away from the window and dressed themselves before going down to the kitchen. What they saw upon entering the room made their mouths drop in shock. Sitting on the table was what could only be described as a small feast. Kreacher and Dobby stood at the head of the table, both looking pleased with themselves. It was obvious that this was their present to their masters, or at least one present anyway.

"Dobby, Kreacher, you two did all this?" Harry asked in astonishment as he and Hermione sat down.

"Yes Master Harry," Kreacher responded. "Wes worked for two hours to give yous a nice Christmas feast." Harry looked at Hermione with his mouth slightly open. He knew that Kreacher had become quite fond of them over the past month and a half but he never dreamed the elf would like them enough to do something like this. On the other hand, he wouldn't have been surprised if Dobby announced that he had worked on the meal throughout the night without sleep.

"Well we appreciate this but we can't eat it all ourselves," Hermione told the two house elves. "We want you two to join us. You're family too." A look of shock and fear appeared on both Kreacher and Dobby's faces. They had never been asked to join their family to eat before and they were understandably nervous about it, wondering if it was a trick. Eventually, their minds returned to functioning normally and they realized that Harry and Hermione would never do anything to trick them like this. The two teens were the best masters any elf could ever hope for.

Once breakfast was over Harry and Hermione went into the living room to open their presents. For the most part, their gifts were nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary. Harry received a rather large dagger from Shadow for "emergencies," as the letter with it said and oddly enough the book that Rita Skeeter had written about Dumbledore from the disgraced writer herself. The note with it said that Skeeter sent the book to Harry as an apology for her article in August that proclaimed him dead, though the raven-haired teen had an idea that she was hoping for his assistance with something. The most unusual present Harry received was a set of keys from Hermione.

"Er, sweetheart, while I do appreciate everything you give me, what the hell is this?" Hermione gave her boyfriend a rather cryptic smile.

"You'll have to go outside and see Harry. I'm pretty sure you'll like it." With a look of wonderment, Harry rose to his feet and went outside to find out what the brunette Witch was talking about. He didn't have to look too hard to find what the keys belonged to: there on the street was the very same flying motorcycle that once belonged to Sirius. Harry didn't have any words to describe how he was feeling as Hermione walked up behind him. "I summoned Sirius and talked to him about where the bike was and how to get it here. It turns out that Hagrid had it and he was more than happy to give it up for you. He felt that it was rightfully yours and he knew you'd like it."

Harry turned around and pulled Hermione into a very passionate kiss. It was below freezing outside and they were both shivering from the cold but neither of them cared at the moment. Harry wanted to show Hermione how thankful he was and Hermione wanted to let him. When she felt that she couldn't stand the cold anymore though, she knew she had no choice but to end the kiss.

"Harry, babe, while I do love you kissing me, I think it'll be best if we go back in and finish opening the presents. It's getting too cold to be out here right now." Harry nodded and grabbed her hand, leading her back inside. Hermione only had two presents left and she chose to open Harry's first. Inside was a wand holster like Harry's and a pair of earrings that matched the necklace he gave her back in November after their first Quidditch match. "You've come a long way from giving me books I see, but that might be because you're running out of books to get me. I think giving me the _Kama Sutra_ for my birthday might have proven that, though I'm sure that was a present for both of us."

Harry didn't bother with saying anything as he gave his girlfriend a cheeky grin. Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes as she picked up her last present. This one had no tag on it saying who it was from and the brunette was understandably somewhat hesitant about opening it. She needed have worried though: inside the box was a beautiful bracelet and a framed picture of her family in the States. A tear fell on the glass as she lightly ran her hand over it.

"I wish you were here," she said so softly that Harry almost didn't hear her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close to him. She leaned into him as she continued to admire the picture.

"Don't worry," Harry told her. "As soon as we defeat Voldemort we'll bring them back over here so you can be together again. I know it kills you that they're not over here sharing Christmas with us but I promise that they'll be here next year." Hermione just nodded against his shoulder and the two sat like that for several minutes.

The rest of the morning went by rather slowly for the two teens. They spent the time preparing for the party that seemed like it would never come. Finally, around noon, the Weasleys showed up, quickly followed by Neville. In the next hour, Remus, Sophia, and Tonks joined them and Luna arrived about one-thirty. For the rest of the afternoon, other members of the Order popped in and out as the party at Grimmauld Place picked up. Gifts were exchanged between each other; games were played; Firewhiskey, butterbeer, and food were regularly consumed; and drunken songs were sang towards the end of the night.

As the day began to wind down and people started to leave, some having to be helped to the fireplace, Harry and Hermione couldn't help but evaluate their first Christmas party. All in all, they were quite pleased with it. Yes, they might have supplied too much alcohol, but that was a minor detail that could be overlooked for the time being. They were both happy that their first Christmas party went off without any trouble and people genuinely seemed to have a good time. Of course, it helped that everyone who was there already knew each other and were at least on good terms with each other. It also turned out to be a good thing that most people had no desire to stay very late. By nine o'clock, everyone had left and Harry and Hermione were cleaning up with Kreacher and Dobby.

"Why don't we leave these dishes for tomorrow and finish making up?" Hermione suggested when they had piled all the dirty dishes up. The words had barely left her mouth when Harry pulled her into a passionate kiss while simultaneously attempting to lead them to the bedroom. He wasn't as successful as he hoped to be and had to break the kiss to keep from falling over, much to Hermione's amusement and chagrin. He practically raced up the stairs with Hermione's hand in his, forcing her to run to keep up with him, though she admittedly didn't mind. Once inside the room, they wasted no time in picking up where they left off the other day and were soon lying naked on the bed yet again. Two hours later they lay breathless in bed, their limbs entangled. Hermione looked at Harry with nothing but love in her eyes, happy that she could give him a present like this and make his Christmas so good, despite what they had been through for the past week.

"I love you Harry," the brunette told her boyfriend as she began to drift off to sleep. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas Hermione," Harry responded as his eyes began closing as well. "I love you too." The last thing he said before falling into the land of dreams was, "this was the best Christmas I've had yet."


End file.
